


A Fish Out Of Water

by TheHumming6irdWrites (JustAnotherCumberfictionFangirl)



Category: Chase Landry - Fandom, Real Person Fiction, Swamp People - Fandom, Swamp People RPF
Genre: Angst, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dubious Consent, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Gator hunting, Heavy Angst, Here we go people, Hunting, I'm already cringing..., I'm going down the rabbit hole, Non-Consensual Touching, Slow Burn, Smut, There will be some gator hunting so be warned..., possibly?, send help!, smutty smut smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:51:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 70,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4282698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherCumberfictionFangirl/pseuds/TheHumming6irdWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story of Amelie and Chase. Kindred spirits with one small problem... They loathe one another! </p><p>This is a thank you to CrazyTXgradstudent for introducing me to the delights of Swamp People, and in particular a certain Landry family... (although I hope you're not too insulted by my crappy writing)!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crazyTXgradstudent (Rachel0004)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=crazyTXgradstudent+%28Rachel0004%29).



** Prologue **

The club was jam-packed. Heavy bass pumped from the speakers and there was an air of drunken abandon. Amelie hated it from the instant she set foot inside. This really wasn’t her scene at all.

The music was awful, its repetitive dance beats making her head ache. And the people? Well, let’s just say she was definitely not in Iceland any more… She couldn’t help but openly stare at some of the outrageous outfits on display. She really didn’t fit in here. Regardless of her having just turned twenty one, there was absolutely no way on Earth her _pabbi_ would have let her go out dressed in some of the teeny, tiny shorts or mini dresses the girls around her were wearing. Not that Amelie was comfortable in the tight dress her cousin’s had loaned her. What was wrong with the jeans and simple top she’d planned to wear anyway?

_“You’ll sweat your butt-crack off in those Amelie!” Marielle, her cousin, and the reason for the predicament she was currently in, had lamented._

_“You do realise you’re in Louisiana now? We sure are a hell of a way from the Arctic circle honey!” Jessica, her younger cousin, had simply giggled at the face Amelie had pulled in response._

_The sooner this wedding was over and she could get back to fishing the crystal clear waters of Olafsvik, the better!_

If it had been up to her she wouldn’t have even come on the trip. Left alone, Amelie preferred the peace and quiet of the ocean, its solitude only momentarily spoilt by the steady stream of tourist’s chartering her boat for a spot of deep sea angling. But this was her Mama’s family. Her mama’s God-daughter Marielle was getting married tomorrow. Her and Amelie had made the sixteen hour trip, whilst Pabbi had needed to stay in Iceland as they’d been booked solid with charters. They certainly couldn’t afford to turn down business in the current climate.

And tonight was Marielle’s bachelorette party.

_“Amelie! Seriously! We will never even make it to the club if you don’t get going!” Marielle had fussed as she’d shoved the black and white dress into her hand. Reluctantly she’d changed, conscious of the length, yet thankful for her short stature. She could only imagine how short it must have been on Marielle._

Now, having spent nearly two hours making small talk over the loud music with what seemed like every member of her extended Cajun family, Amelie was ready to call it a night. They were lovely people, every single one, but Amelie couldn’t for the life of her remember half their names, a sad fact when you considered that she’d lived in these parts for the first four years of her life.

The vague memories she had of her early childhood only served to reinforce the feeling that she didn’t fit in. Not just here, but back in Iceland as well. It was a cruel irony that, because her Cajun mother and Icelandic father had strived to instil both cultures equally into their daughter, she never truly felt like she belonged in either.

Back home her peers would make fun of her accent as, even though she was fluent in Icelandic, her Cajun heritage seemed to filter through in her pronunciation. Over here, her white blonde hair and pale skin made her stand out like a sore thumb and she hated being so conspicuous, feeling like a tourist in her birthplace. In a desperate fit of rebellion, two days ago she’d headed to the local drugstore and bought a box of dark brown hair dye. To say her mama had had a fit when she’d seen the result was an understatement!

Still, it seemed to have had the desired effect. She received far less attention. In fact, it made her invisible amongst the throng of revellers, which was just fine with her.

“Amelie! Come dance” her cousins and a group of their friends grabbed her, dragging her out of her daydream. Reluctantly she followed, making her way through the crowd.

As she approached the dance floor she was inadvertently shoved by a group of men who were chanting and competing to see who could down their beers the fastest. There was no intent involved, the group clearly oblivious to everyone around them in their drunken state, however something inside Amelie snapped. Maybe it was all the tension from being stuck in this Godforsaken place, or maybe it was just all the worries she’d been bottling up about business back home, but she found herself shoving the man nearest to her in the back. She was sick to her back teeth of being pushed around. It was high time she pushed back! Watching just long enough to see him fall drunkenly against his friends, she gave a satisfied smile and carried on towards her cousins.

“Dang Amelie! What did you do that for?” Jessica yelled over the loud music as she flicked her eyes towards the men.

“They were being dicks! Just drunken fools” Amelie grumbled, knowing fine well she was being totally unreasonable but no longer caring.

“Who’s a drunken fool?” The deep, thick Cajun accent startled Amelie and she turned to come face to chest with the man she’d shoved only moments ago. For all her earlier bravado, Amelie sensed trouble and her hands began to shake as she avoided eye contact and instead stared at the broad chest in front of her. _Why hadn’t she just kept her mouth shut and her hands to herself?! Pabbi was always warning her about her temper._

The man stepped closer into her, so close that the tip of her nose touched his T shirt. Impulsively she inhaled and dear God if he didn’t smell incredible. His scent invaded her senses and she felt a little light headed as the mixture of cologne, laundry detergent and a faint hint of sweat combined with the distinctive scent of somebody who spends their life outdoors.

Consciously taking a step backwards and finally daring to cast her eyes upwards she was met with a cocky smirk. As their eyes locked she thought she noticed the smirk waver momentarily but it happened so quickly she couldn’t be certain. What she _was_ certain of was that the man staring down at her was gorgeous.

_Like seriously hot!_

Big brown eyes, full of amusement, watched as she openly assessed his facial features. A straight nose, plump lips framing that smirk, tanned skin weathered from working outside, and a strong jaw made her catch her breath.

He continued to stare down at her from under the ball cap he was wearing, the smirk turning into laughter as she realised he was speaking to her.

“Hey! Anyone in there..?” he chuckled.

_Damn it Amelie! Focus!_

“You elbowed me…” she grumbled. It sounded lame even to her own ears but she shrugged her shoulders and challenged him with her own stare. He might be hot but he was also drunk and cocky as anything.

“Well then little lady, let me make it up to you” he remarked with a shit eating grin “Let’s get you a drink and maybe you’ll see I’m not _quite_ the ‘dick’ you thought I was?”

“Little lady? _Little lady?_ Just who the hell do you think you are?” Amelie spat, the man having inadvertently focused on the one thing she was touchy about. At just over five foot, Amelie was dwarfed by her peers and it led to a serious chip on her shoulder. _And what was that he said about his dick? Was he propositioning her?_ Eurgh, hot as he was she was not one for one night stands, especially with cocky shits like him.

“Just fuck off” she moved to shove him again but this time he was ready and grabbed her small hands in his much larger ones.

“Dang! What’s got your panties in a bundle little lady?” he laughed at her again. _Big mistake. Huge!_

She kicked him hard in the shin and he released her hands, a stunned expression on his face. Amelie didn’t wait to hear what he or her cousins had to say and rushed through the crowds to the restrooms in an attempt to calm down. She didn’t want to ruin Marielle’s evening and she already knew she’d overreacted. What was it her Pabbi always said? “That temper of yours is going to get you in serious trouble one of these days Amelie Bríanna Jónsdóttir!” Then he would look at Mama and raise his eyebrows “see… this is what comes of crossing a Cajun with an Icelander… She’s part alligator, part huldufólk!” Her parents would laugh while Amelie would just roll her eyes, having heard the same joke many times before.

Standing over the sink she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was flushed and her eyes were blazing, angry tears threatening to overcome her. She splashed cold water over her face, not caring if it ruined her make up. She just wanted to go home. She didn’t fit in here.

“Amelie! There you are…” Jessica and Marielle’s frantic voice’s cut through her sulking and she looked round sheepishly, knowing she’d made a scene. Before they could say another word the tears began to fall down her cheeks, the guilt at potentially ruining her cousin’s night because of her temper overwhelming her simmering anger.

“I’m sorry…” she stammered, sniffling back tears “sometimes I just can’t help myself…”

Marielle pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear “Shhh. It’s fine! I missed what he said to you but by your reaction he obviously deserved it. The main thing is are _you_ okay?”

Amelie pulled back and looked into the concerned eyes of her cousin and the tears fell afresh, guilt overwhelming her once more.

“Here, wipe your tears! I am not ending my last night as a free woman in the bathroom! We are going to party!” with that Jessica handed Amelie some tissue to wipe her eyes and Amelie realised that even though she barely knew these women, they had her back. For the first time in her life she truly understood what her mama always spoke about. Family always stuck together, no matter what.

With a renewed respect for her cousins she hugged them both and allowed them to pull her back onto the dance floor. They spent the remainder of the evening dancing and joking around.

As they sat in the minibus making the long journey home to Pecan Island, Amelie flicked through the images on her phone. They’d taken a load of photos on the dancefloor and she giggled at the group shots of them all pulling silly faces. Scrolling through, she paused at one of the three cousins. Amelie was in the centre with Marielle and Jessica hugging her from either side. A tear trickled down her face as she stared at the image. This must be what it felt like to have sisters. She’d always wanted a brother or sister, someone else like _her_. But it never happened. Now that she’d spent some quality time with her cousins and finally got out of the mood she’d been in since she’d arrived in America, she saw them for the warm, generous women they obviously were. She mourned the family friendships she’d missed out on all these years, having no relatives her age back in Iceland, and she decided then and there that she would keep in contact this time. Smiling to herself she scrolled to the next photo and froze. It was another one of the three of them, only this one had been photo bombed. Stood behind the three women, was the man Amelie had kicked! In one hand he held a drink but it was what his other hand was doing which shocked her. He stood, index and middle finger either side of his open mouth, tongue out in a lewd gesture.

Disgusted, she thanked God for the lucky escape she’d had. Sure he was ridiculously handsome but in that image he had shown his ugly side. Everything she’d assumed about him had been confirmed. _What an absolute dick!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pabbi is Icelandic for dad  
> Huldufólk are elves in Icelandic folklore. They’re considered to be mischievous when provoked.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five Years Later...

_~ Five years later ~_

 

There was a crisis looming in the Landry household.

It was two days until the start of the alligator hunting season and Jacob Landry had broken his arm in a freak accident. Under strict doctor’s orders he had been told not to fish for six weeks, effectively ruling him out of the season. They were now a man short and struggling to find a replacement. With 450 tags to fill they knew they were in big trouble. They had no option but to run two boats this season but as his brother Brandon couldn’t get away from his desk job, Jacob’s cousin Holden was due to help out his dad instead. Troy Landry had tried to recruit his own brother Guy and even called his old partner Clint but had struck out on both counts.

“Chase you can’t go by yourself. That’s hard” Troy rubbed his jaw in contemplation “I don’t like to fish by myself. That’s too hard on you son” he shook his head.

“I can do it dad” Chase Landry tried to sound confident but in truth he understood his dad’s concern. It only took one lively gator to wreck your day.

“It ain’t fun…” Jacob agreed, remembering the times that circumstances had forced him into the boat on his own.

“No siree” Troy nodded “I’m gonna see what I can do to get you a deck hand for the season”

“Deck hand? Does that mean…” Chase raised his eyebrows as he looked from Troy to Jacob and back again.

“Hey! Don’t go getting any ideas Chase Michael!” Jacob raised his eyebrows “I’m still your captain!”

“Your brother's right” Troy nodded “but with Jacob out of action, you’re the captain. There’s always been a Landry captaining our boats and I’m not about to change that!” he playfully punched his youngest son, hoping he was making the right decision. He loved him dearly but he was the first to admit he could be a little… wilful… at times.

_Still, he thought, this could well be the making of him._

Chase beamed at the thought of finally being able to captain his own boat. He’d been looking forward to this for years, although truthfully, he’d never thought the day would come, seeing as how reliable Jacob was. He felt sorry for his brother but gator hunting was no place for anyone who wasn’t one hundred per cent fit. It was dangerous enough as it was.

*

The following evening, Chase returned from hanging lines to find an unfamiliar white truck parked up at the side of the house. He stepped up onto the porch and heard the sound of voices and laughter inside. Pulling open the screen door, he caught sight of two women with their backs to him.

He immediately recognised the voice of the taller woman on the left. Liz Choate had worked with his dad on several occasions and she had become a close family friend as a result.

_Could this be Jacob’s replacement? Surely she had her own tags to fill?_

Still, Chase smiled to himself. He liked Liz. She was a hard worker, took no nonsense and had a mouth on her, much like himself. They’d surely get on like a house on fire.

“Ah Chase, we’ve been waiting on you…” Troy noticed his youngest son hovering near the door “don’t stand around over there. Come and meet your new deck hand son”

Chase grinned and started to walk over towards Liz. As he approached, she turned and smiled warmly at him “Hey there Chase! How ya doin’? I believe y’all are needing some help this season?”

“Yes ma’am…” Chase held his hand out to her in greeting but he faltered as the other woman turned to face him.

He quickly appraised her. _Fuck! She was cute._

The woman was much younger than Liz and smaller too. She couldn’t have been more than five foot and he towered over her even from a few feet away. She wore cut off denim shorts which finished just above her knees, a loose navy T shirt and a pair of navy Chucks. A backwards ball cap covered her hair and she couldn’t have looked more all American if she’d tried, yet her skin was almost ghostly pale with a small smattering of freckles running across the bridge of her nose. However, it was her eyes that truly caught his attention. They were like pale drops of ocean, a hypnotic mixture of blue-green he’d never seen on anyone else in these parts. They were framed by pale lashes and white blonde eyebrows. His instincts told him she was not a local yet there was something familiar about her.

Checking himself, he grabbed Liz’s outstretched hand and shook it warmly, avoiding eye contact with the other woman for fear of outright staring at her.

“Great to see you again Miss Liz” he grinned “I’m sure we’ll do just fine together!”

His dad looked from him, to Liz, then to the woman and burst out laughing “Lords, I promise you he’s a far better gator hunter than he is a detective!” he slapped Chase on the back and swung him to face the other woman.

“Chase… meet Liz’s niece… Amelie. Your new deck hand!” he grinned “She’s just moved back here from Iceland no less, but gator hunting’s in her blood!”

Chase’s face dropped as he tried to process the news. He was by no means sexist. He knew damn well that some of the best gator hunters out there were women. Just look at Liz and Jacob’s old hunting partner, Miss Marie. But, looking at the woman stood in front of him, he seriously began to question whether his pa was finally losing his mind.

She was small. Petite even. And not just in height. Her slim arms looked like they'd break just hauling in a 6 or 7 foot alligator. He couldn't even begin to imagine how she would go about getting an 11 footer in the boat. He sighed at the dawning realisation that his season had just got substantially harder.

“So, you get a lot of alligators in Iceland then?” he wisecracked “what’s the biggest you ever caught?” Chase went in hard, putting her on the spot.

“No. We don’t… I, erm… well. I don’t remember…” she stuttered, caught off guard “I haven’t fished gators since I was a little girl. But I fish…”

“This is a fucking joke… isn’t it? You’re putting a _greenhorn_ in my boat?” Chase cut Amelie off as he raised his eyebrows at his dad, his brow knitted into a frown.

“I think this was a mistake” Amelie interjected, staring at him with a look of utter contempt on her face.

“Chase Michael Landry! Where are your manners? Apologise right now!” Troy shouted, his eyes bulging with shock at his son’s response. It was a good thing his mother wasn’t here right now, otherwise she’d be getting a bar of soap for that boy’s mouth!

“I’m sorry…” he muttered reluctantly “it’s nothing personal. It’s just, you know, there’s nothing of you! I don’t see how this is gonna work, y’know?”

Amelie stared at the man blatantly insulting her, and had to bite her tongue. Just who the fuck was this guy to tell her she wasn’t up to the job? Did he not realise she’d been fishing since she was old enough to sit up in the boat?! Or that she’d single-handedly tried to keep pabbi’s fishing business afloat, if you’ll excuse the pun, as he got sicker and sicker when the recession bit hard. Sure, it had been a _very_ long time since she’d fished gators, but surely it was just like riding a bike?

As she stared challengingly at him, her stomach did a somersault as a memory returned.

 _Him!_ No. It couldn’t be, _could it?_ Surely not.

_Surely fate couldn't be THAT cruel?_

And yet, as she looked closer at that distinctive jaw and those chocolate brown eyes she couldn’t deny it. The final nail in the coffin came as his mouth turned upwards into a smirk and he licked his lips.

_It was the dick from the club five years ago!_


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

 

Amelie put the truck into reverse and parked up at the side of the service station. She took a few moments to compose herself, inhaling and exhaling deeply as she tried to clear her mind of any negative thoughts. Grabbing her sunscreen, fishing rod and lunch she made her way towards the store, the humming of its neon lights the only sound in the eerie morning air.

The fact was, she was still fuming from yesterday. That ass Chase Landry was the creep from the nightclub all those years ago. Of that she was certain. He, of course, hadn’t recognised _her_.

 _And why would he?_ He’d been drunk as a skunk that night and had most likely hit on every woman in that club! From what she’d seen of him yesterday, it was quite clear he hadn’t changed in the last five years. The way he’d ridiculed her when she’d told him she’d been fishing all her life? And then went on to insult her by calling her a greenhorn… a _greenhorn_ Goddamnit!!

Amelie swore if her pabbi had still been alive he would have tanned that boy’s ass for that! She’d had a good mind to do it herself, after all there was no greater insult to anyone who stepped onto a boat than to be called a greenhorn! But the brutal truth was that she needed the work and good paying hunting jobs like this one were hard to come by. Especially with her frankly limited employment history.

The relocation hadn’t come cheap. When Pabbi had passed away, she and mama had discovered the full extent of their debts, the charter business having run at a loss for the last two years.  Soaring fuel and bait costs along with massive fluctuations in tourist numbers bit hard into their profit margin. Despite Amelie’s valiant efforts to keep it afloat, they’d eventually had to call it quits. The boats and equipment had been seized in recompense for mortgage arrears and they suddenly found themselves unemployed and practically penniless as they waited for pabbi’s life insurance to kick in. Even then it was just enough to cover the funeral costs and basic living expenses.

It was Aunt Liz who had funded their flights over to Louisiana. Aunt Liz who had graciously accommodated them both at her already busy home. And Aunt Liz who had found Amelie this job. No matter the circumstances, Amelie would repay every cent and her Aunt’s confidence in her.

_Which meant Amelie would just have to suck it up and get in that damn boat with Chase Landry._

She silently cursed his name again as she pushed the door to the store open and stepped inside.

She looked around, searching for that cocky son of a…

 _Where was he?_ The store was deserted, save for an older man sitting behind the counter flicking idly through a newspaper. She looked back out at the forecourt. It was still empty, with no signs of traffic on the road behind it.

Chase had said 6am sharp. Amelie checked her watch again. It was only five minutes to. Okay… fair enough, she was early. The wait gave her the opportunity to take in her surroundings. Clearly the Landry’s were a big deal around here. There were posters on the walls of Troy and his son Jacob, advertising ammunition. She stared at the posters, and the merchandise stands which also featured the Landry’s in various poses. She briefly wondered how a family in such a remote area had managed to secure these high profile advertising deals.

She moved over to the far side of the store and noticed a row of mounted stag’s head’s. So, the family enjoyed hunting? Not that she really should be surprised, given their line of work. Amelie felt a pang of sadness as the memory of reindeer hunting with her parents flooded back to her. They lived off the land as much as possible back in Iceland and realistically there was only so much fish a girl could eat! It was a sad irony that had she still been there she’d have probably been hunting right now as they were smack-bang in the middle of reindeer season. She allowed herself to remember the last time she’d been able to hunt with her pabbi. It was just as he’d started to get sick and even though neither had spoken about it at the time, Amelie had somehow known it was to be the pair’s final hunt together. 

“You like those?” startled, Amelie turned to find herself facing Troy and a younger boy. She quickly sniffed back the tears that had threatened to fall and smiled warmly at the pair stood in front of her.

“Oh yes! They’re very impressive sir” she complimented, not sure how long she’d been staring into space “Good morning Mr Landry”

“Troy” he corrected “I ain’t nobody’s sir! And good morning to you too Miss Amelie! This is Holden, my brother Guy’s son. I told you about him yesterday” he explained as he introduced the boy “that’s his daddy over there” Troy pointed to the man who had been reading. He was now serving a customer whilst waving across at Troy and Holden.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you” Amelie smiled “I’m waiting on Chase. Is he with you?”

“No…” Troy frowned “I didn’t hear him this morning. I thought he’d set off before me… He said last night that he was fixing to catch an early start?”

Amelie watched Troy’s eyebrows knit together in annoyance and instantly knew something was wrong. She looked at her watch. It was now nearly quarter to seven and there was _still_ no sign of him.

“Is he usually late?” she desperately tried to keep the agitation out of her voice. If there was one thing she was a stickler for it was punctuality. The fact that she’d had to leave Aunt Liz’s at 4am to get there on time only added to her mounting frustration.

“Well… he’s not the best timekeeper…” Troy admitted, the frown deepening even further.

 _Great!_ It was just her luck to be lumbered with a cocky, sexist and apparently lazy son of a gun! She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to fight back the anger before looking back up at Troy.

“Do you think you could ring him for me? See where he’s at?” she tried to disguise the irritation in her voice but judging from the look in Holden’s eyes she wasn’t doing too good a job of it.

“I’ll ring him Nunky” Holden smiled at his uncle and then at Amelie. He quickly dialled a number on his cell phone whilst making his way over towards his dad, leaving Troy and Amelie stood awkwardly waiting for an answer.

“I am mighty sorry about all this…” Troy finally spoke, his brows knitted together once more “Me and him had words last night over his behaviour. I do hope he didn’t make you feel too bad? I chewed his ear off good and proper!”

Amelie smiled warmly at the older man. Troy Landry was such a gentleman. To think he’d defended her to his own son. He barely knew her himself yet she knew he trusted and respected Aunt Liz. It seemed to Amelie that if Aunt Liz said she was up to the job that was good enough for Troy.

“He’s out on the boat already Nunky!” Holden interrupted her thoughts.

_Apparently, Aunt Liz’s word wasn’t good enough for Chase though!_

“Why, that ignorant, sexist, self-righteous son of a…”

“Hey… hey..!” Troy interrupted Amelie’s diatribe, his eyes bulging as he took in her insults “he might well be all those things but he’s still my son…”

Both angered and mortified by the way Chase’s actions were making her behave she blushed bright red and stuttered a heartfelt apology to Troy. The last thing she needed was to alienate him as well “I really am sorry Mr Landry… Troy. That was uncalled for. I’m just a little frustrated and I let my temper get the better of me…”

_Wow! Her mother would be so proud of her right now! The Amelie of just a few years ago would have likely told Troy to shut up and sort his boy out!_

“Oh don’t you worry yourself… I’mma gone tear a strip off that boy, he’s gone too far this time! Ring him back Holdy!”

Amelie watched as Holden dialled the number and passed the phone mutely to his uncle.

“Where the hell are you son?” Troy yelled down the line “I don’t care! We had an agreement... I have Amelie right here waiting on you, just as she was told. What kind of man are you to keep a lady waiting?!”

Amelie had no idea what was said in response but whatever it was, it certainly made Troy’s heckles rise even further “Chase Michael Landry if I ever hear you talk like that again about a lady I’m gonna tan your damn hide! Your mama and I sure as hell never raised you to talk like that!”

She stiffened. _What the hell had he said?_ Troy was fuming, his eyes wide with barely contained rage now. Holden stood alongside him, shifting nervously from one foot to the other and Guy, having finished up with the customer had also made his way towards the small group, hearing the commotion.

“What’s got y’all in a state?” he looked from his brother to his son and finally to Amelie “And who might you be?”

“Hi… I’m Amelie. I was supposed to be helping Chase out on the boat today…” she didn’t have it in her to explain any further, hoping that Holden would help her out.

“He’s gone off already pa!” Holden shook his head in shock “Miss Amelie here had to drive all the way from Pecan Island this morning and he still went and left her!”

“That boy…” Guy sighed to himself before addressing her “listen… Amelie, he’s a good man. A little headstrong at times, but underneath it all he’s a hard worker. Sure, he can be a joker sometimes but this isn’t like him…” his voice trailed off as he realised Troy had finished talking on the phone.

“Hey there Guy! I’m guessing they’ve been filling you in buddy?" the brothers frowned at each other as Guy nodded in response. Troy sighed and turned to Amelie “Right… Amelie, you’re coming with us. I’ve told Chase to stay right where he is. We’ll drop you off on our way out to our lines”

“Thank you!” Amelie let out a deep breath in relief. Much as the last thing she wanted right now was to sit in a boat all day with Chase, at least she still had a job.

 _For now…_ As she climbed into the truck she imagined launching him over the side of the boat and a smug smile briefly crept across her lips.

_Oh if only!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow follow up! I keep getting distracted by this man...
> 
> *Nunky is Cajun for uncle


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Chase knew he was in for it as he sat waiting for his pa to arrive.

It had been a risky move leaving Amelie behind. He’d hardly slept last night, tossing and turning as he tried to formulate a plan to stop that pain in the ass woman from getting in his boat.

***

_His boat! He was captain now... Surely he should’ve gotten a say in who his deck hand would be anyhow?! If his pa did insist on taking her on, maybe he should have to ride in the boat with her? He’d gladly fish with Holdy instead. _

_Yet, even as he’d thought it, he knew it would never happen. His Pa knew the pair of them well enough to know that together there would be more horsing around than working going on and gator season was definitely not the time for play… They had far too many tags to fill._

_As he’d laid in bed thinking about the lines he’s set earlier, that’s when he’d come up with the plan. He’d go straight out in the morning. Early. Before his dad even got up. He’d go out alone and run his lines. Show his dad AND Jacob what he was capable of on his own. Hopefully Amelie would just wait around a little while at Duffy’s and then head back home. Maybe, if he was really lucky, that’s be the last he ever saw of her…_

_Deep down, he’d known it was just a delaying tactic as he’d likely cop one hell of a talking to when he finally returned home. But frankly, he couldn’t really give a shit. As he’d laid there plotting his early morning escape he realised he was in such a tailspin about that damn woman that he couldn’t think straight or concoct a more sensible plan._

_Finally, with a rough strategy worked out, weariness overwhelmed him and he’d fallen into a troubled sleep._

***

Now, as he sat watching the sun appear on the horizon he couldn’t help but wonder what it was about her that had got him so worked up anyway?

He couldn’t put his finger on it and that bothered him almost as much as his dad’s decision to put her in his boat. _Why couldn’t his dad see she was a liability?_ She was too small and sure as hell not physically equipped for the gruelling work. _What did his dad see in her to even think she was?!_

 _What the fuck was he was missing?_   Chase wondered. _She seemed too small and fragile to even be in a boat, much less hunting gators!_ Once again he reminded himself of all the women he knew that were gator hunters, Amelie’s own aunt included. But this woman was different. She seemed… _delicate_ for want of a better word. He tried not to think about the way her small hands had rested defiantly on her skinny waist as she’d scowled up at him yesterday. Or the fact that her nails were painted with pale pink nail polish, glittering in the light from the early evening sun as they tapped against her hips in obvious irritation. Or those dazzling aquamarine eyes that he swore he’s seen somewhere before. He tried to block out the look of utter contempt those very same eyes had cast in his direction as he’d stared at her.

The sound of an outboard motor in the distance pulled him out of his contemplation and he was shocked to realise he felt the tell-tale tightness of arousal against the crotch of his jeans, his semi-erect cock beginning to press insistently against the worn denim. Cursing, he stood and adjusted himself, wondering where the fuck this hard-on had come from. Just as his pa rounded the corner into the secluded bayou, it subsided and Chase inwardly heaved a sigh of relief before clenching his fists as he readied himself for the backlash from his early morning exodus.

Troy pulled up alongside Chase as Holden grabbed onto the sides of both boats to essentially tether them together.

“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the prodigal son!” Amelie spat out before Chase even had time to open his mouth. He glared at her, his own anger at this whole stupid situation bubbling back to the surface.

“Shut the fuck up!” he blurted, instinctively knowing he was just making the situation worse but unable to stop himself.

“CHASE MICHAEL LANDRY! I swear if you say ONE MORE WORD to this young lady I’mma gonna bust your damn ass so hard and throw you in the swamp with the goddamn alligators!” his pa bellowed at him, his face red with rage and his eyes full of disgust. In all his twenty six years he’d never seen his pa so mad at him, even when he’d crashed his truck a few years back, and it had a somewhat sobering effect.

“I’m sorry sir” he conceded, knowing full well that if there was any more smart talk his pa would surely follow through with his threat.

“Goddammit Chase Michael it’s not me you should be apologising to!” his dad continued to yell “Miss Amelie here had been waiting on your ass for nearly an hour when we showed up! What was you thinking, leaving a woman hanging around on her own at that time of the morning? Hey boy?”

Chase stood, defiantly staring from his dad to Amelie and back again. He desperately wanted to yell out that if she was brave and strong enough to wrestle alligators then surely she must be able to deal with any of the passing trade at the service station!

But he bit his tongue and instead just shrugged his shoulders.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue all of a sudden?” his dad continued, the impatience now overcoming the anger on his face “apologise right this minute!”

“Look, clearly he ain’t sorry Troy!” Amelie goaded Chase with her defiant stare “so let’s just knock it up to experience and get on with catching us some alligators… we’ve already lost precious time dealing with this bull…” she stopped herself just in the nick of time from potentially causing another shouting match “this… misunderstanding…”

With that she stepped across onto the other boat and squared up to Chase “Look. It’s pretty clear you hate me just as much as I hate you… but we have to work together so be a man, suck it up and let’s get this show on the road!”

Troy hooted with laughter at that and looked his son squarely in the eyes “She’s right y’know? I’ve shown her the basics of how we do things around here so you should be good to go. Don’t mess this up now…”

Silently, Chase huffed before grudgingly starting up the engine and moving off.

 

Ignoring Amelie completely he looked over his shoulder as his pa and Holdy became distant dots on the horizon, his dad’s last words to him lingering in his head. _Don’t mess this up now…_

He couldn’t wait to see his dad’s face when he finally realised it was _him_ who had messed up employing this manipulative woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the really abrupt ending to this chapter! I promise the next couple will be much *coughs* beefier... ;)


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day goes from bad to worse...

**Chapter Four**

It was late afternoon in Pierre Part and it was fair to say the day had been an unmitigated disaster. After leaving Troy and Holden, Amelie had sat silently awaiting instructions from Chase, him being captain and all. However, after nearly an hour of tense silence, she’d reluctantly conceded that they couldn’t go on like that and tried to make conversation.

_More fool her._

It seemed that not only was Chase argumentative and sexist but he was also pig-headed. Amelie swore that if she said the sky was blue Chase would say it was red _just_ to piss her off. Whilst irritating, she could’ve ignored that. What she couldn’t ignore was his lack of trust in her. On every line they’d checked he’d unceremoniously pushed her out of the way when there was a gator attached and insisted on catching _and_ shooting it single handedly. Much to both their annoyance this had not been a successful plan and they’d lost three gators as a result, two of which were serious money gators.

And the best part about it? Apparently, losing the three gators was Amelie’s fault!

 _Yes, you read that right._ Even though Chase wouldn’t let her near the damn things, somehow it was _her_ fault when they got away! _Each and every damn time!_

The first one had escaped because Amelie hadn’t loaded the gun. She would, of course, have taken full responsibility for that if it hadn’t been the case that Chase had told her that under _no circumstances_ was she allowed to even touch _his_ gun. Something, he seemed to have been mysteriously forgotten. She’d silently seethed over that, her eyes blazing with unspoken words of resentment.

The second time, Amelie had offered to help by hooking the 12ft gator with her fishing rod, only to be laughed at by Chase, as he derisively suggested that the only thing her rod was good for was catching ‘sac-a-lait’. Instead, he’d insisted on throwing his treble hook (and missing) no less than _six_ times… The air had turned blue after each failed attempt as Chase fired out a series of expletives both at the gator and her. Meanwhile Amelie had continued to bite her tongue (her pabbi would have been supremely proud of her for that, once somebody had picked him off the floor from shock!)

The third time was akin to a scene out of a bad movie. _Apparently_ , Amelie had been in the way. And by ‘in the way’, we are talking about her being pushed unceremoniously backwards yet again by Captain Smartass. This resulted in her tripping over the cool box and ending up prostrate, lying nose to nose with the solitary dead alligator in the boat. As Amelie had attempted to get back to her feet _El Capitan_ had stepped backwards as he wrestled with the gator on the end of the line, tripped over her legs and thus found himself on his ass in the boat next to her, firing a gunshot up into the blue sky. In the shock he’d dropped the gun _and_ the line, the gator taking its opportunity to escape and swimming away to safety. And _yeah… well… you guessed it_ … that was totally Amelie’s fault as well!

As Chase began yet another tirade of abuse Amelie totally lost it. The air truly was blue as the sound of shouting, arguing and a frankly impressive variety of profanities was fired back and forth at one another onboard the small boat. Battle lines were drawn. Amelie stood, hands on hips staring Chase down as he waved his arms about manically and pointed his finger accusingly at her.

No longer would Amelie’s father have been proud of her, unless it was to admire the number of languages she could hurl abuse at her counterpart! So far it was seven… English, Icelandic, Cajun, Norwegian, Swedish, French and Spanish. It was one of the benefits of meeting so many nationalities on their fishing charter. Amelie had a keen ear, picking up all the curses her clients would make as their catches would slip off their lines, although she rarely knew what many of them actually meant.

Still, they pissed Chase off good and proper so that at least gave her a tiny bit of satisfaction. The man was beyond infuriating. There was simply no reasoning with him as he continued his barrage of abuse at her.

“¿Pero qué coño?” Amelie muttered to herself angrily as Chase finally run out of steam and turned his back on her in disgust.

“What did you just say to me?” he turned back and stalked across the deck so that he stood mere inches away from her, staring down angrily as he waited for a response. Not one to be intimidated by _any_ man, and most certainly not such an arrogant son of a bitch, Amelie took a small step closer so that her heaving chest was almost touching his midriff and raised her eyes defiantly to his, matching his stare. She was still breathless from shouting and her heart was pounding in her chest.

The humid air crackled with tension as their eyes met, the oppresive Louisiana heat doing nothing to cool either one’s mood. There was a glint of danger flashing across Chase’s eyes now and Amelie was shocked to realise she found it exciting.

 _No, no, no!_ Amelie chastised herself. _Don’t you dare go there Amelie! Chase Landry is a fucking ass of epic proportions. Don’t you go getting all moist for those baby brown eyes that look like they don’t know whether they want to fuck you or throw you over the side of the damn boat!!_

Attempting to compose herself she reminded herself she _hated_ the man stood so close to her. She moved her palms swiftly up against his thickly muscled chest and shunted him backwards with surprising ease. Buffered by her strength and his look of shocked surprise she took another step towards him.

“I said…. ¿Pero qué coño?” she hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes wild with rage both at Chase _and_ herself for even allowing herself to have such improper thoughts.

“What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?!” he spat back “I fucking swear… if you were a man I’d have thrown you overboard by now!” Chase retaliated, his eyes blazing once more as he tensed his jaw and continued what could only be described as the most agonisingly conflicted eye fuck Amelie had ever born witness to.

**_ _ **

In turn, she stood desperately counting all the things she hated about him and reminding herself that he thought she was inferior just because she was a woman as she tried not to focus on the way his jaw ticked as he stared her down.

“Fuck me if you are not _the_ most infuriatingly, unpleasant, aggressive and downright sexist man it has ever been my misfortune to meet Chase Landry!” Amelie screamed at the top of her lungs. She’d had enough now. No job was worth this amount of crap. _Jesus! What the hell had her Aunt been thinking when she’d suggested working with this… this neanderthal!_

In turn he stood smirking at her, his arms folded as she continued to rage at him. _This was perfect._ If he played his cards right he wouldn’t even have to plead his case again to his pa… she’d quit before they even reached the boat ramp!

“Man!” he sighed dramatically as he looked away, hiding the glee which was now threatening to overcome him “you really are something, aren’t you?! Such a lady…” he goaded “I bet you have men just lining up to date you!”

**_ _ **

“Wha… at?” Amelie stuttered, immediately taken off guard. Damn him if he hadn’t already found her weakness!

Amelie’s dating history was practically non-existent. Feeling so different from her peers in high school had taken its toll on her self esteem and consequently she hadn’t even gone on a date with a guy until she was nearly twenty. When Magnús had asked her out she’d laughed at first, unable to comprehend that anyone as handsome and popular as him could be interested in a loner tomboy like her. After all, he’d been the guy every girl fancied at school. But he’d sweet talked her into it, telling her he found her accent sexy and saying she was really pretty. Nobody had ever complimented her like that before and she fell for it. Unfortunately, the night had been a total disaster from start to finish as Amelie’s nervousness and suspicions about his motive bubbled to the surface. She was off-hand when he complimented her on her outfit, having no experience of dealing with flattery and immediately suspicious of his intentions. When Magnús had gone to get them some drinks from the cinema foyer he’d got chatting to one of the girls they used to go to school with. Amelie began to suspect she was being set up. Kristín was one of those girls who all the boys wanted to be with. She had the perfect figure, tall and curvaceous with long golden hair that fell in waves down her back and pale blue eyes that she would entice the boys with as she batted her eyelashes at them. As Amelie watched on they’d laughed and joked at the kiosk, occasionally turning in her direction and grinning. Amelie had stood feeling like she was being openly mocked and when Magnús had finally returned with their drinks she’d barely spoken to him for fear her temper would take over. Or even worse, she’d start crying. In the cinema she’d sat stiffly in her seat but when Magnús had tried to put his arm around her during a scary scene she’d freaked out and punched him in the nose! He'd yelled at her as his nose bled, calling her crazy and a freak. Mortified, she’d fled the cinema and ran home in tears. Needless to say, he’d never tried for a second date. And Amelie had thrown herself into her work, deciding she was much better off on her own.

Some six years later that remained her one and only date. Her only experience at any kind of relationship with someone of the opposite sex which wasn’t work or family related. And it was pitiful to say the least.

And Goddammit if Chase Landry hadn’t unwittingly stumbled on her weakness. The fear of him realising this forced angry tears to well up in her eyes. She turned away hastily, praying he hadn’t noticed.

If he did he didn’t say anything, instead picking up speed and turning the boat in the direction of home.

Now, as they made their way back, an awkward silence descended once more over them both. Each one sat deep in thought as they analysed their actions and where they could possibly go from here.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sac-a-lait ~ Cajun French for Crappie, a fish commonly caught in Louisiana.  
> ¿Pero qué coño? ~ Colloquial Spanish for ‘what the fuck’


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ride home gives them both time to reflect on their behaviour...

**Chapter Five**

If the boat ride home was awkward, the truck ride back to Duffy’s was downright painful.

Having left her truck at the service station that morning, Amelie had no option but to tag along with Chase. At first she’d actually contemplated walking but she just wanted the day to be over and done with. The sooner she got back to her truck, the sooner she could start the arduous two hour commute back to Pecan Island and begin searching for another job.

She stood uneasily to the side as Chase loaded the boat onto the trailer, resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t want her to help. When he climbed wearily into the driver’s seat, she actually thought he was going to just drive off and leave her, but then he pushed the passenger door open and gruffly muttered at her to get in.

Amelie did so reluctantly, squeezing her body as close to the door as she possibly could with her seatbelt on, effectively creating another barrier between them. She stared out the window as she tried to regulate her breathing. She knew she was close to tears again and it frustrated the hell out of her.

And so it came to pass that they both sat in the truck, deep in their own thoughts as they each contemplated their next course of action.

Chase gripped the steering wheel as he drove the short distance, silently cursing his temper and the way he’d behaved in the boat. Sure, the woman sat alongside him wound him up like no-one had ever done before. That he couldn’t deny.

She had a smart mouth on her. _Much like him…_ he had to admit. That could only be a recipe for disaster! Miss Liz and his pa knew them both well. Surely they must have known it was likely to be explosive. Not for the first time that day he found himself questioning his father’s sanity.

But what bothered him even more was that he began questioning _himself_ and his actions. _When had he suddenly become so sexist?_ He’d treated Amelie like she was inferior to him in every way. He’d never treated _anyone_ like that before, much less a woman! He hadn’t even asked her about her experience, hadn’t given her a single opportunity to show what she was made of. He knew his father was no fool. And nor was Miss Liz. If they thought Amelie was up to the job, the very least he could’ve done was let her _try_. He still had his doubts, of course. But it really had little to do with her being a woman. If he’d had a guy in his boat with her build he’d have thought exactly the same. That was one of the biggest reasons he’d told her to stand back whenever they’d reached a line with a gator hooked on it. He knew how dangerous, powerful and unpredictable those wild animals could be. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt on his watch. And certainly not on his first official day as captain!

And in his defence, just as he’d already had his doubts about her capabilities, she’d already judged him too. The look of disgust she’d given him yesterday _in his own home_ had left him feeling angry and more than a little hurt. He’d have gladly explained his reasoning for doubting her abilities had she given him the opportunity, _but no,_ she’d looked at him like he was a piece of trash, clearly having already made her mind up about him. Something inside him had instantly snapped and he’d found himself laying into her.

Then, even though he knew he shouldn’t have left her stranded this morning, he’d been shocked again by the language that came out of such a pretty mouth. _And damn it if it wasn’t a pretty mouth!_ She’d sat sulking at the other end of the boat once they’d left his pa and Chase couldn’t help but steal a glimpse every now and then as she’d pouted those plump pink lips as she'd chewed on her nails. It was mesmeric to watch but he’d somehow garnered all his reserve and tried not to stare, reminding himself he hated the woman.

And he’d done a damn good job of remembering that for the remainder of the day. That is, until he’d watched her face crumple as he goaded her about her personal life and how she most probably couldn’t even get a man. Even as he’d said it he knew he’d gone too far. The look of shock and embarrassment that flickered across her face finally brought him to his senses and he realised just how cruel he was being. His mother’s face flashed before him too and he imagined her look of disgust at the way her son was speaking to a lady. Not to mention the fact that it was a frankly ludicrous accusation anyway! _If that woman didn’t have men falling at her feet he’d be stunned._ Even in her shapeless fishing shirt and loose fitting jeans he could tell there was a fine body hidden underneath. He realised then that he had yet to even see what colour hair she was hiding under that cap of hers and yet he instinctively knew that whatever colour it was, it would suit her perfectly. There wasn’t a scrap of fat on her from what he could make out and he’d desperately wanted to stroke his large hand across the delicate nape of her neck when she’d turned away from him, clearly fighting back tears. The dawning realisation that he’d actually made her cry took any remaining fight out of him on the boat and he’d hung his head in shame as they’d made their way home _._

_He really was a prize shit!_

He sighed to himself as he turned onto the main road and drove the short distance back to Duffy’s.

_Fuck! This couldn’t be happening. Who the hell was this woman to be casting such a spell over him? He waivered constantly between loathing and lust._

Shaking his head, he pulled off the road and parked up at the rear of the service station.

Troy appeared from the refrigeration unit just as the pair got out of the truck and it was immediately obvious to him that things hadn’t gone any better between his son and Amelie since he’d left them that morning. He could feel the anger rising as he walked over to confront them both.

“So… how’d it go today then?” Troy asked expectantly as he peered over into the boat. The disappointment was immediately evident in his face as he turned first to Chase and then Amelie questioningly.

“It wasn’t one of my best pa…” Chase mumbled shiftily, clearly uncomfortable with having to explain himself to his father “the truth is, we struggled today…”

“I can see that son… One gator? That's it?” Troy raised his eyebrows and looked at Amelie. She hung her head avoiding his gaze so he looked back over at Chase who was now fidgeting with his ball cap.

“What the hell happened..? I let you guys fish in one of our best honey holes today! We never come up short there… don’t tell me they’re not biting?” Troy wiped his palm down his face clearly worried. If the gators weren’t biting on day one he was in serious trouble! That honey hole was one of his prized spots for hunting gators. Not one year had he caught less than ten gators on opening day in that spot, yet here was his son with just the one! _And it wasn’t even eight foot!_

“I… I don’t know pa… three got away from us!” Chase stuttered, desperately trying to come up with a plausible excuse that neither got his ass teared off by his pa nor made Amelie feel any worse than he’d already made her that day.

“Three?! But that still would’a only given you four in total boy?” Troy shook his head again, clearly suspicious.

“Okay… the truth is…” Chase started.

 _Enough was enough. Amelie had been right earlier_. It was about time he manned up and took it on the chin. _He was captain now. It was his responsibility to bring in a good haul of alligators. Not his pa’s, not Amelie’s and not anyone else…_

“Chase spent quite a bit of time trying to show me how to use the treble hook Sir and I’m afraid I wasn’t too good at it” Amelie interrupted, stunning both herself and Chase.

Chase spun round and stared at her, his eyes wide with confusion as he tried to work out whether she had an ulterior motive for lying to his pa. Before he had time to process what was happening she was speaking again.

“I’m the reason we lost those gators… I should have insisted on sticking with my trusty fishing rod! I know exactly what I’m doing with that…” she quirked her eyebrow at Chase then and his mouth dropped open. _What the fuck was she playing at?_

“Ah well, in that case hopefully tomorrow you can both stick to what you know best then eh?” Troy broke out into a slow smile as relief washed over his face “Elizabeth has told me _all_ about you and that legendary fishing rod of yours Amelie! I sure hope I get to see you in action with it myself one day!”

Amelie smiled warmly and nodded “I think that sounds like a great Idea Mr Landry!

“Troy…” he corrected and grinned back “Listen you look worn out. We’ve only got the one gator to process so why don’t you get off? You’ve still got a long drive ahead of you after all”

“Oh, erm… are you sure? I don’t mind stopping while we finish up” she replied, whilst trying to stifle a yawn.

“I insist. It does no good to have a tired deck hand on board. Just ask Chase here! He’s been there a good few times with his brother Jacob and it makes for a miserable day on the swamp for all concerned!” Troy laughed good-naturedly and patted her on the back as she grabbed her rod.

Meanwhile, Chase just stared at the pair of them, wondering what the hell had just happened. He’d been almost certain as they’d pulled up that this was the last he’d be seeing of Amelie, and yet here she was making plans for tomorrow.

 _W_ _hat game was she playing?_

_And more importantly, why was he so goddamned relieved?_

As she walked past him, rod in hand one more question came to mind.

_Just what was the big deal with her and that fishing rod anyway?_

The only thing he knew for certain was that as time went on he had more and more questions about Amelie Jónsdóttir.

_Well, tomorrow he vowed he was going to start getting some answers…_

 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for your lovely comments!


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Two of Gator season...

**Chapter Six**

 

It was just before 6am and as Chase drove the short distance to Duffy’s, he mulled over the events of the previous day again.

Last night as he'd tried to sleep he’d come to the dawning realisation that a lot of his anger at the moment wasn’t even because of Amelie. If he was being totally honest with himself he was really pissed off that Jacob had got himself injured just before the start of hunting season. Regardless of their arguments he loved being in the boat with his brother and now that Chase worked away more and more he looked forward to those thirty days that they’d spend together.

There was, after all, nothing like spending time with family.

Yet somehow he’d misdirected all that anger and frustration at Amelie. It was no wonder she clearly hated him.

He wondered yet again why it bothered him so much that she did. He liked to think he was a pretty good guy. Up for a good laugh, yet humble and hardworking. And okay, so maybe he did sometimes have a bit of a temper but she hadn’t known that when they’d first met, had she? Yet she’d immediately given him that dirty look. The kind that if looks could kill he’d have been six feet under.

He just couldn’t fathom it.

He sighed as he saw her truck already parked up.

_Here goes nothing!_

Amelie watched as Chase climbed down from his truck and walked over towards her.

“Mornin’…” he tipped his head in greeting “Okay listen… about yesterday…” he began but she cut him short.

“Forget about it…” she replied, not trusting herself to look into his eyes as he stared questioningly down at her. Instead she kept her eyes focused on his thick chest, watching the easy rise and fall as he breathed slowly in and out.

“Today’s a new day” she sighed as she finally broke free from her trance-like state “Look… what happened yesterday happened but _I_ need a job and _you_ need a deck-hand so let’s just get on with it and go hook some gators”

With that she marched off, grabbed her things from the back of her truck and threw them into the boat before climbing up into Chase’s truck.

Chase stood dumbfounded once again. He had been rehearsing an apology all last night. Now, for some reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on, he felt cheated out of it.

“Well are we going or are you just gonna stand around over there?” Amelie yelled at him from the truck.

Pulling a face he huffed to himself as walked back over to his truck and they set upon their way.

Once again the drive over to the boat ramp was silent, although thankfully today there wasn’t quite the same undercurrent of anger and frustration. Instead that had been replaced by confusion on the part of Chase.

What was going on with this woman? One minute she was hurling abuse at him, the next she was close to tears and now she was back to being cocky as hell.

 _Dammnit if his head wasn’t already hurting._ Still, somehow he had to make this work. She wasn’t a quitter it seemed and he certainly wasn’t either.

As they started their day on the familiar bayous of his ancestors, Chase began to relax. It really was a special place to him and he loved being out on the water. A smile grew across his face as he watched the sunrise.

“Pretty morning!” he mused, more to himself than anything.

“It is” Amelie replied “you’re so lucky to have grown up here. It’s a truly magical place…”

“I hear Iceland’s just as pretty…” he responded more out of politeness than any wish to strike up a conversation, yet he realised he was pleased when Amelie turned around. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise as she stared at him. “Oh it is… it’s a beautiful country…” she began “but… oh, I don’t know…” she hesitated then and Chase watched as a faraway look came over her.

_God she was just as pretty as the sunrise… the faint sunlight reflecting in her eyes and her pale skin seeming to radiate a shimmering warmth as it soaked up the rays._

He continued to watch her silently as she stared off into space before a sudden bump underneath the boat made her stagger slightly and she came back to her senses. Looking around hastily she caught Chase’s eyes on her and immediately turned her back once more, signalling the conversation was over.

Chase bit his lip, taking a deep breath and attempted to focus on the job in hand. On reaching their first line, he was relieved to see there was a gator attached. He had insisted to his pa over dinner last night that there would be no repeat of yesterday’s pitiful haul. However, it did mean he was now faced with a dilemma. It was time to put his money where his mouth was and the big question remained. _Did he let Amelie take the line or the gun?_

He decided he’d take the line on the first one. After all, he had no idea what size they were dealing with. But of course that meant he had to rely on Amelie to take the shot. He had no idea whether she really even had much experience with a gun but she assured him she had in no uncertain terms.

As he started to pull at the line he immediately knew he’d made the right choice. The gator on the end felt like a massive log. He signalled to Amelie to grab the gun, checking she understood how it worked. He ignored the loud sigh she gave him at the question. Now was not the time for an argument. Yesterday had taught him that. As he pulled the gator to the surface of the water he tried to remain calm, shouting instructions as to where she needed to shoot and doing his best to get the beast into position.

Amelie hesitated and Chase could feel the anger beginning to rise up inside him as the gator tugged the line back down under the boat. To his credit he bit his tongue as he warned her the next time she would have to make the shot. Otherwise the gator was likely to pull chunks out of his hand if he held on much longer.

He once again slowly coaxed the angry gator towards the side of the boat, positioning its head so that Amelie could get into position once more, before bellowing "choot'em!"

As he thought the gator was about to start another death roll she yelled at him to look away and she took the shot. The gator immediately fell slack on the line and Chase knew she’d succeeded.

“Good work” he breathed out, more from relief than anything else.

Chase explained how to hold onto and roll the huge beast into the boat, warning her that sometimes gators liked to play possum so to be certain to keep an eye on them once they were in the boat as they might need another shot. Amelie nodded, giving the impression she already knew this but Chase wasn’t going to take any chances. As captain the safety of his deck-hand was his responsibility and no matter how infuriating she could be he was not going to go down as a bad captain for endangering her life.

They ticked along relatively well after that, hauling in another eleven gators. Chase even let Amelie hold the lines on a few of the smaller ones. Her technique wasn’t great, resulting in her tearing strips out of one of her hands so he gave her a couple of pointers, much to her chagrin, but she took them on the chin and continued to work hard.

That’s not to say the day wasn’t without its arguments. There was still an undercurrent of resentment within the boat and it was never far from either of their lips. After Chase missed an apparently easy shot Amelie chewed his ear off for a good hour, muttering under her breath in God only knew what language.

Chase bit his tongue but after a while he’d blown up, telling her “to shut up for the love of God”. She’d hurled another barrage of abuse in his direction, smiled sweetly and then gone back to baiting lines. Chase on the other hand had not been able to raise a smile, the anger beginning to bubble once more to the surface.

By the time they’d made it back to Duffy’s, Chase was exhausted. Trying not to rise to the bait had taken its toll on him and he was barely holding it together. The woman was infuriating, switching from barely speaking to him to muttering abuse, but he had to begrudgingly acknowledge that she at least seemed to know her way around a boat.

Yet, after unloading the boat she’d simply walked off back towards her truck, leaving him stood wondering what the hell he had to do to at least get a hello or goodbye from her.

He walked back to his own vehicle, slamming the door angrily behind him and drove home, trying to put the image of her stood in the early morning sunlight out of his mind.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Three on the Swamp and all doesn't go quite as planned... Trigger warning: blood

**Chapter Seven**

 

The shrill alarm woke Amelie from her troubled sleep. Her bleary eyes tried to focus on the time.

3:00am.

Jeez. What kind of godforsaken time was that to be getting up? Even back when she was fishing, she rarely needed to rise before dawn. Truth was, the four and a half hour round trip to the Landry’s was already beginning to take its toll. It was only her third day but Amelie was weary. Weary to the bone. Every muscle in her body cramped with sheer exhaustion but there was no way in hell she was going to let Chase Landry win. Even if it killed her she was going to haul her ass out of bed, drive the two and a bit hours to Pierre Part, get on that damn boat and catch alligators!

She reluctantly pulled the thin sheet off her naked body, having spent yet another night struggling to deal with the Louisiana humidity. It was ironic that her roots were firmly based in the southern state and yet she still couldn’t have felt more like an alien. Not that she seemed to belong anywhere else! Stumbling into the bathroom she turned on the shower and stepped inside. As she began to lather up the fragrant shower gel she realised just how sore her hands already were. There were several welts from the previous day which made her wince with pain.

Trying to shrug it off, Amelie quickly rinsed herself, allowing the hot water to sooth her aches and pains a little.

She dressed in an old pair of jeans and her fishing shirt, pulling her hair tightly back and wrapping it up inside her ball cap before heading out into the kitchen.

The scent of eggs and bacon wafted to her nostrils and her tummy rumbled.

“Morning ‘Melie” Liz smiled at her as she flipped the eggs “sleep well?”

“Eventually… but my muscles hurt so bad!” Amelie grumbled “my arms, my back… my abs…muscles that I never even knew I had!” she moaned as she fixed herself a strong coffee.

“You have to learn to love the pain Amelie” her aunt smiled knowingly “I mean, you _hate_ the pain… God knows I hate it! But you’ve just got to push through it, you know?”

Jess nodded and looked down at her already torn up hands.

“Your hands hurtin’?”

“Yes ma’am!” Amelie grimaced as her aunt inspected them.

“I have a salve that will help a little but you’re gonna have to change up your technique if you’re gonna last the season” she noted as she turned back to the stove and piled the eggs and bacon onto two plates and handed one to Amelie.

They sat at the counter eating, before Liz broke the silence.

“So how’s it going with Chase?”

Amelie raised an eyebrow and chewed on her bacon thoughtfully.

“That bad, huh? Want me to have a word with him for ya?” Liz frowned. Her niece was a good kid. Sure she had a mouth on her at times, not unlike her own daughter Jessie-Lou but Amelie was a hard worker. And she’d had a tough few years. She didn’t need any extra aggravation.

Swallowing her bacon Amelie shook her head “It’s okay Aunt Liz. I can deal with that knucklehead just fine”

Liz raised her own eyebrows at Amelie but said nothing more. Chase and Amelie were so alike it was frightening. She might just ring and have a quick word with Troy tonight, see how he thought things were going.

*******

“Come see” Chase yelled, beckoning Amelie with his hand.

“See what?” she yelled back as she peered out over the water.

“What?” he turned, looking confused.

“Come… see… what?” she sounded each word out patronisingly and held her hands up in confusion. _Clearly she was missing something!_

Chase paused, confused and frustrated before realising he was not making himself understood “Dang it Amelie _come here_ , I can’t hold the line and shoot at the same time!”

“Hey! No need to get so uppity! All you had to go and do was to ask”

“I did” Chase muttered to himself.

“No… you said ‘come see’ not ‘come here’…”Amelie persisted, her heckles rising.

 _“Son… of… a… bitch!”_ Chase cursed “will you just come here already and help me!” he yelled. He’d just about had it with this woman. Tomorrow he was going to insist that she went out with his pa, seeing as it was his stupid idea to recruit her. He smirked as he imagined his father’s reaction if she was to argue with _him_. _Oh yeah baby, he’d kill to see that!_

As it was, she gave him a look that could kill, but then huffed and made her way, _slowly,_ to where he stood wrangling the gator on the end of the line. Picking up the rifle she waited for the perfect moment, ignoring Chase’s yells to get on with it, and finally took the shot.

Chase felt the line go slack as the gator stopped fighting and whooped. However, there was no high 5 or fist pump between the pair of them at catching the gator as was normally customary between the Landry’s. Instead, only looks that could kill were shared.

They began dragging the 9ft alligator into the boat, pulling first its head and then rolling its body over the edge onto the deck. Amelie bent down to yank it a little further up the boat by its head so as to make some room to manoeuver when there was a sudden snap.

“Aargh!” Amelie screamed in agony.

“What the hell is wrong with you now...?” Chase huffed and turned from tagging its tail to see the gators jaw clamped down on Amelie’s index and middle fingers.

“Oh, he got my hand…! Damn, he got it… get it off, get it off!” she screeched, the weight of 2000lb worth of jaw pressure acting like a vice on her digits. Chase grabbed the gators jaw and began pulling desperately at it, prizing the mouth open just enough so that Amelie could free her hand. It took all his brute strength to do it and the pair fell onto the deck, panting in exhaustion.

Amelie held her hand up shakily to inspect the damage but all she could see was blood. “Oh God, oh God” she panted, tears beginning to well up in her eyes and blurring her vision.

Chase made fast work of fetching the first aid kit. “We got to get that hand clean and fast, before you get sick as a dog! You’d better not throw up in my boat!”” he muttered under his breathe, irritation barely concealed.

As he crouched over her he saw that her face was paler than he’d ever seen it before and he realised she was struggling, biting her lip as she tried to put on a brave face. He wondered if it was for his benefit and suddenly felt guilty that she was still having to try to justify herself being in the boat, when she was obviously in a ton of pain.

“Here, let me take a look” he knelt and gently pulled her hand towards him, despite her hesitation and winced as he inspected the damage “Dang… this looks bad Amelie! He got you good and proper”

He worried his lip as he turned her small hand in his and noticed there was a tooth still lodged in the flesh. _Fuck! This was not good. Not good at all…_

“Listen up, there’s a small tooth lodged Amelie… I’m gonna have to get that out and get the alcohol on it straight away” he looked into her eyes, and seeing only pain and fear reflected back, something melted inside him. His voice softened as he prepared the alcohol and tweezers, keeping one eye on her in case she fainted. She was visibly trembling and for some unknown reason he suddenly had an overwhelming urge to pull her into a tight hug.

But there was more pressing work to be done.

Chase positioned himself so that he was sat next to her, and pulled her wounded hand across onto his lap, forcing Amelie to twist her body towards him. She offered no resistance as she sat limply alongside him. “Okay, this is probably gonna hurt like a bitch but I have to get it out now…” Chase explained. Seeing fear in her eyes he grabbed her other hand and placed it on his bicep “Here. Grab my arm until its out, okay?”

Amelie nodded weakly and Chase set about extracting the tooth. It was deeply embedded and the gut wrenching screams which came from her set his teeth on edge. However much they disliked each other, he was not one to see someone in pain and he found himself wishing the gator had bitten him instead. Amelie’s other hand was clamped around the taught muscle of his bicep almost painfully as she dug her short nails into his flesh. He finally managed to remove the tooth and was relieved to see that it had not punctured the bone.

“Phew, it’s out but we need to get that alcohol on it, and fast” Chase pulled her towards the edge of the boat and positioned himself behind her in order to hold her hand over the edge, pouring the alcohol over the wound.

Amelie winced but bit her lip, the tears now breaking free and pouring down her face. She really was a sorry state as she whimpered softly and Chase was alarmed when she started to shiver violently, wobbling about on the deck as her body began to go into shock.

As soon as the alcohol bottle was empty he tossed it behind him and drew her back to the safety of the middle of the deck and slumped down. In doing so she landed in his lap and he had to swivel her around so as to get access once more to her hand. He quickly bandaged it, trying his best not to cause her any unnecessary pain, but she was silent, save for the chattering of her teeth.

Now sitting sideways on his lap, he gave her the once over. Beads of sweat had collected above her top lip which had a bluish tinge to it, her pupils were dilated and her breathing was shallow.

_Fuck!_

“Amelie… Amelie… stay with me, you hear me?” Chase enveloped her in his arms, willing some of his own body heat to be transferred to her cool, clammy skin. He scooted them both backwards towards the rear of the boat and grabbed the tiller, propelling them back along the bayou. The only saving grace was that the accident had happened relatively close to home and Chase knew this area of the swamp like the back of his hand.

Time was now of the essence. An alligator’s mouth was teeming with deadly bacteria and people had died from wounds just like Amelie’s out here in the swamp.

The fact that she’d already gone into shock was a bad, bad sign and Chase was scared.

_He had to get her to the hospital right away._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance... you're gonna have to wait a few days for the next chapter.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase rushes Amelie to the hospital...

**Chapter Eight**

Amelie could feel herself slipping in and out of consciousness. She was vaguely aware of something warm encompassing her. Sometime later there was a sudden movement and then she felt like she was floating.

It was only the jarring sound of an engine starting up that made her realise she must have been being carried somewhere, the weightless feel of her limp limbs and the tender hum of a distant voice making her smile to herself before it gave way to something more solid, more tangible.

In her fevered, dreamlike state she struggled to make sense of her surroundings but she figured she must've been in some kind of vehicle. There was a comforting warmth still close by but she couldn’t make out what it was or from where it came.

She wished she could open her eyes to see but her eyelids felt like they were welded shut, so heavy were they.

Trying to get some much needed air into her lungs, Amelie took a stuttering breath. As she did so she was overwhelmed by the scent invading her senses. It was intoxicating, a delicious blend of cologne combined with the wearer's natural musk.

She felt her heart beginning to race and she gripped onto the nearest thing she could find. It felt like a leg. A thigh possibly? Its muscles were strong and taut under her quivering hand, its warmth strangely grounding.

Yet mere moments later her head began to spin afresh and her body felt limp.

The same voice that had been so soothingly reassuring earlier was now beginning to sound harsh and... panicked?

"Dang it...hang in there Amelie! Hang in there baby!"

_Baby..?_

***

Amelie took a sudden gasp of air and tried to look around.

Her eyelashes seemed to be glued together and she still couldn’t see a damn thing. She began to panic. What if there was nothing wrong with her eyelashes and she’d actually lost her sight? She tried to lift her hands to her face but they felt like a dead weight.

"Wh...where… am… I?" Amelie’s voice sounded alien to her, whisper quiet with a hoarse crackle to it.

"Amelie sweetie. You're in the hospital. Try to get some rest" the familiar voice of her mama instantly calmed her despite the obvious worry in her tone. _That is until she’d digested what her mama had just said._

_Hospital?_

Oh crap! Yes… The bite!

She tried to move the hand that the gator had taken such a liking to but she couldn’t.

Panic now truly began to set in. She couldn’t feel a damn thing. What the hell was going on? Surely it should be painful? She remembered the blood and the agonising pain as Chase had pulled the tooth out.

_Chase…_

Vague flashbacks of Chase holding her and comforting her replayed in her confused mind like a badly edited video. But there seemed to be massive chunks of memories missing...

She briefly wondered where he was. The fact that her mama was here must surely mean he'd left. They were hardly friends after all. He'd done his duty as captain and then had probably rung her mom to meet them at the hospital. Once she’d arrived his obligation had of course been met. A sinking feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach and she couldn’t fathom why it had unexpectedly started when she’d thought about the man who had been making her life hell for the past three days.

A wave of nausea interrupted her train of thought as it began to overwhelm all her senses and she cried out in distress, as she tried to lift her other hand to her mouth to somehow stop the inevitable.

As she did so she became aware of the cannula in her arm and her anguish grew even stronger. She began flailing in the bed as she desperately tried not to vomit over herself. 

"Mama!" She cried out "I think I'm gonna..."

"Here you are darling" Amelie felt a light pressure against her chest as something was pressed against it and an alarm went off somewhere behind her.

****

In the deserted corridor outside Amelie’s room sat a very shaken, very confused, Chase Landry.

Never before had he ever experienced such a range of emotions as those of earlier today. When Amelie had started having a fit in the truck he'd almost crashed the damn thing, veering off the road and barely missing a tree. If that hadn't been fucking scary enough, she’d only gone and stopped breathing!

He found himself cursing and praying for her in equal measures as he’d began mouth to mouth, thankful that he’d paid attention on the course he’d had to complete a few years back during one of his summer jobs. The truth was, he’d been scared shitless. It was only by the grace of God that they’d found themselves just over two kilometres from the hospital when she’d lost consciousness again. Chase had put his foot down hard on the gas, ignoring the speed limit. He’d never been so thankful to see the scenic bayous give way to concrete and steel as he reached the outskirts of Morgan City. He drove straight to the Emergency Room and watched helplessly as Amelie was wheeled away on a gurney.

He’d then stood, alone and bewildered in the waiting room, an unexpected fatigue overwhelming his entire body as he struggled to make sense of the past hour. He’d slumped down into a nearby chair and held his head in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably. The desk clerk had taken pity on him and escorted him to a relative’s room, where he’d eventually explained that he needed to contact her family, his only relationship with Amelie being her boss. He ignored the clerk’s raised eyebrow as she’d taken Miss Liz’s number from Chase, it being the only contact he had. She’d then insisted that he too be seen by a doctor, given his current state, much to his bewilderment.

Frankly he’d felt like a fool. A pitiful fraud and totally embarrassed by the way he’d responded once they’d reached the hospital. However the doctor had assured him that it was not uncommon to react in such a way when a loved one was injured badly enough to require CPR. Chase had snorted with bemused laughter at that, much to the doctor’s look of utter disbelief.

But now, as he sat dazed and confused some seven and a bit hours later he also felt an overwhelming guilt. It was the guilt of a man who was being forced to admit to himself that he had got a perverse sense of pleasure from finally being able to rest his own lips against Amelie’s plump pink ones, regardless of the circumstance.

He sighed to himself, not for the first time that day. _He was a terrible person. A grade ‘A’ asshole for having such improper thoughts about someone who's life he had just potentially saved._

_ _


	10. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a tense wait...

** Chapter Nine **

As Chase drifted restlessly in and out of sleep on the uncomfortable plastic chair he continued to mull over the events of the day. It had actually started off pretty well, all things considered.

_But then disaster had struck._

It had just gone to confirm both his pa and Jacob’s warning about how dangerous it was to fish alone in the swamp. He couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d have done if it had been him that had been bitten while he’d been alone on the water. Chase had to admit up until today he’d been a bit blasé about the risk. Whilst he _knew_ he had to take precautions, he’d always told himself it wouldn’t happen to _him_. But he’d also had to concede that Amelie had not done anything wrong. In fact she’d followed his lead and was just going about the normal business of tagging the beast when its last breath had made its presence well and truly known!

And dang it if she hadn’t been brave. Even while she was shrieking with agony as he’d extracted the tooth, she’d held onto him and clearly willed herself not to collapse under the excruciating pain. But all too soon her body had gone into anaphylaxis. Or at least that was what he’d later been told. At the time he’d thought she was just in shock, being as there was nothing of her. But no, it turned out Amelie was highly allergic to something in that gators mouth and it was solely by the grace of God that they’d made it to the hospital just in the nick of time for them to administer the adrenalin shot. He was ashamed to admit he might have buckled under the pressure had he known just _how_ serious it had been. As it was he’d just gone into auto-pilot, save for that moment when he’d had to try to revive her by performing CPR. He was both proud and ashamed of himself then, still grappling with the way he’d felt at the time.

Yet he also knew that he and Amelie now shared a unique bond and he didn’t quite know how he felt about that. He had, to all intents and purpose brought her back from the brink. In the deep dark recesses of his mind he wondered if he’d live to regret doing that! But then immediately, he was racked with guilt for thinking such an abhorrent thought.

He twisted uncomfortably in the flimsy chair, his large frame barely seated and attempted to massage some feeling back into his numb arm which had been leant up against the wall.

He heard a loud buzzing and looked up to see the red call light above the door to Amelie’s room light up.

_Shit! What the fuck was the matter now?_

He stood, his body creaking as he tried to stretch out the knots in his muscles whilst he paced the corridor waiting to find out what was happening. Moments passed before a doctor and two nurses came running towards the room. Chase, not being a relative, had not been allowed inside the ICU. Her mama, Miss Maria had thanked him profusely when she’d arrived, before insisting he go home and get some rest. She’d looked at him through tear-stained eyes with genuine concern at his own demeanour before heading into the ICU, promising to let him know how Amelie was later.

Yet Chase had remained anchored to the spot, somehow unable to leave the hospital until he had definite, concrete confirmation that she was alive and well. Now, as he stood hovering at the doorway, he could just make out the end of the bed where Amelie’s limp body seemed to be lay surrounded by machines and nurses fussing around. And then the door had swung closed again and he was left wondering what the hell was happening to warrant the alarm.

He continued to pace the floor, his own adrenaline beginning to kick back in as fear gripped him. His heart was racing and he felt nauseous. It dawned on him then that he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. He briefly debated heading down to the vending machines but the thought left him just as quickly as it had appeared. There was no way he was leaving this corridor until he knew his deck hand was safe.

Instead, he took a sip from the remains of the luke warm water the desk clerk had handed him all those hours ago. It did nothing to quell either his hunger or the nausea and he almost retched. Reluctantly he slumped back once more in the chair and held his head in his hands.

***

Back inside the ICU, Amelie’s weak and feverish body continued to fight off the bacteria which was trying to flood her blood. She had gone back into shock, having unwittingly been prescribed an antibiotic that she was allergic to. It had been no-one’s fault, Amelie’s medical history previously requiring little in the way of antibiotics, let alone anything as strong as the ones she’d been prescribed. The IV had been hastily flushed whilst an alternative drug was sought along with antihistamine, steroids and some strong pain medication. Now, some two hours later, the doctor was cautiously optimistic that she was stable and that all being well, she would make a full recovery. Due to the severity of the reaction to the bite it was clear that she was highly allergic to one of the pathogens and they’d taken swabs from the wound to try to isolate the offending bacterium.

Amelie’s mother stood watching over her daughter’s sedated body and her lip quivered as she imagined what might have been if the Landry boy hadn’t been so quick thinking. She owed him her daughter’s life, of that there was absolutely no doubt in her mind. Some might have argued that it was the very fact that Amelie was _in_ his boat that had got her in this mess but the simple fact was that if she hadn’t of been in _his_ boat you could be damn well certain she would have been in someone else’s!

Noting that Amelie was finally sleeping peacefully and currently being monitored by both the nurses and the on call doctor, Maria excused herself to use the restroom. She decided she’d also give Liz and the Landry’s a quick call with an update as she’d promised earlier.

She opened the door quietly, so as to be sure not to wake Amelie back up and sneaked out into the corridor. Once outside the room, she took a deep lungful of fresh air, realising just how stuffy it had been inside. As she turned towards the main corridor in search of the restroom she was startled to discover a man slumped backwards in the chair alongside Amelie’s room. Her eyes quickly assessed his physique and she realised it was Chase Landry. His ball cap had flipped back a little and she saw that he was out for the count, his head resting back against the wall, his mouth gaping open as he breathed slowly in and out.

_God bless him, he must have waited around for news!_

Her heart immediately went out to him. He must’ve been exhausted. She looked at her watch and was shocked to discover it was now after midnight. _He must have been there for nearly ten hours!_ Chase was clearly fast asleep so she slipped off to her original destination, her need to use the bathroom now overwhelming. Once out of the restroom she grabbed two coffees and a couple of candy bars from the vending machine and headed on back to the ICU. Chase was just as she’d left him, save for his ball cap which had fallen to the floor at his side.

Maria put down the provisions and gingerly tapped him on the shoulder. He mumbled something about not going to sleep and keeping safe and Maria couldn’t help but smile as she watched him struggling internally with something. She tried again, this time a little bolder, knowing that if he stayed there much longer he’d be stiff as a board.

Chase blearily opened his eyes and it took him a few moments to get his bearings. When he finally did he realised there was a woman stood over him holding out a plastic cup containing something hot. He gratefully took it from her and realised the woman was Amelie’s mother. He tried to stand up in greeting but she patted his shoulder down and told him to stay sat.

A million and one questions went through his mind but his sleep addled brain couldn’t decide which to ask first. He finally opened his mouth but Miss Maria cut him off.

“She’s okay now, we think… ” She smiled “thank you again Chase… From the bottom of my heart! I really don’t know what I’d have done if I’d lost her too…” her voice trailed off as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Standing clumsily as his aching limbs slowly came back to life, Chase awkwardly hugged the older woman, knowing how stressful the day had been for the both of them.

“I’m so sorry… I’ve been holding it together in there for ‘melie but you both gave me quite a fright when I got the call! I guess the tears had to come out eventually” she laughed sadly.

“There’s nothing wrong with letting it out… It was no one’s fault Miss Maria… she did great out there today. Honest. That gator just had a final kick in his tail. I’m just sorry it done and got her and not me…” Chase trailed off as he sighed to himself whilst stifling back a yawn and sitting back down.

“Well, what’s done is done sweetheart. You can’t change what’s gone before… all’s you can do is learn from it for next time” she smiled kindly at him before her brow furrowed as she observed the bags under his eyes “Y’know you really should be getting back home Chase. It’s been a real long day and there ain’t nothing you can be doing sat around here. The doctors are pretty sure she’ll make a full recovery… it might just take a little while longer after that set back earlier” she sighed.

Chase’s head snapped back up and he frowned “Fuck! What set back?! Shit… sorry ma’am….” he cursed himself for his language “Erm I mean, I saw the call light go on before and the doctors came running… but what happened?!”

“She had a reaction to the antibiotic they gave her. She went into shock again Chase” Maria sighed deeply before shrugging her shoulders “but as I said, they’ve put her on a different drug regimen now and she’s responding really well. As for her hand, the doctor thinks it will be good as new in a couple of weeks, if not sooner! She’s a fighter but she’s also a real lucky girl to have had you on call Chase! It could’ve been so much worse y’know”

Chase stood dazed as he tried to process this new information. _Christ. She really could have died!_ He felt sick to his stomach. He couldn’t explain it but he desperately felt the need to see her for himself. _To know that she truly was okay._

“Miss Maria, I know it’s against the rules but would there be _any_ chance of me just quickly looking in on her? I promise I won’t stay for more than a minute or two… I just kind of _need_ to…” his voice trailed off as he struggled to explain why. _The truth was, he didn’t know himself._ They were hardly on the best of terms after all!

“Tell you what Chase Landry, I’ll cut you a deal… I’ll make them doctors let you in for two minutes if you promise me you’ll go straight on home afterwards and get yourself some sleep…” Maria raised her eyebrows inquisitively as she waited for a response.

“You got yourself a deal Miss Maria” Chase nodded and smiled, relief flooding throughout his entire body, his eyes brightening for perhaps the first time that day.

“Okay then, you finish that drink off and get that chocolate down you and I’ll be right back out for you”

With that, Miss Maria disappeared back inside the room and Chase slugged down the remains of the coffee. He chewed on the candy and was just finishing up when the door opened and she beckoned him to her.

“Two minutes” she whispered “I’m just gonna give Liz and your pa a quick ring ‘kay?”

Chase nodded and tip toed into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Now he was inside he wasn’t sure what to do. _Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea._ What if she woke up and got stressed out when she saw him? It wasn’t as if they were best buddies!

One of the nurse signalled to him to sanitize his hands. As he rubbed the antiseptic gel in he moved a little closer to the bed and stopped, shocked at just how tiny she looked curled up under the thin covers of the wide hospital bed. Her head was obscured by the other nurse as she took a set of observations. Chase tensed his jaw as he contemplated what to do now he was finally here. She was hooked up to all sorts of machines and there were several IV’s running through at least two catheters. The whole scene freaked him out a little if he was being totally honest. Tentatively he stepped forward so that he was alongside the bed and it was then that he was able to finally take in the sight of her without that darned ball cap for the very first time.

She had long thick blonde hair which fanned out across the pillow despite its dishevelled state. Her pale skin was almost ghostly white but all that served to do was make her look almost ethereal. Chase stood gawping at her for a moment as he tried to put his finger on who she reminded him of.

Then it came to him. _Jeez! She looked just like that mermaid in the TV show his niece insisted on watching every time she came over!_ Damn!

He finally tore his eyes away from her face and looked down at where her bitten hand was resting on the other side of the bed from him. It was covered with dressings but even through them he could see just how badly the wound had swollen up. He winced as he then saw the size of the catheters they’d had to insert into her other arm and instinctively put out his hand to hers in comfort.

As he did so, she jolted and her eyes shot wide open making him jump back in shock.

“ _Fuck!_ Sorry… I didn’t mean to wake you… _shit!_ ” he cursed, more to himself than anyone in the room. Amelie smiled softly, then her eyes flickered closed again and Chase relaxed a little. He watched her eyelids twitch, indicating that she seemed to be sleeping once more. He figured it was time to go and he took a deep breath before whispering “I’m real glad you’re okay Amelie. Keep fighting!”

He stepped away from the bed and was just nearing the door when she cried out _“I’m no-one’s little lady… you hear me Chase Landry?! Fuck you!”_

He turned and marched back over to the bed, confusion and anger beginning to rise inside him.

_Really? After everything they’d been through today she was gonna insult him?_

He’d just opened his mouth to ask her what the fuck she was playing at when he realised she was still fast asleep and dreaming. He frowned as he watched on, wondering what the hell she was dreaming about to get her so wound up about him, even in her sleep!

_It seemed that the more he got to know Amelie, the more questions he had… and that pissed him off no end!_

_ _


	11. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amelie gets a shock...

** Chapter Ten **

 

Amelie opened her eyes, the stark white wall facing her was unfamiliar in the pale moonlight. The sound of humming alerted her to a strange noise behind her but as she lifted her head to try to turn over pain wracked throughout her body and she slumped back down into the pillow.

_So it wasn't a dream... she really was in the hospital._

Amelie had woken from the most peculiar dream, _or at least that’s what she’d thought it was..._ It had been full of alligators, blood, hospitals, muscular _yet faceless_ men, yelling, pain and anguish. Yet it had also been mixed with an overwhelming feeling of warmth and soothing words. It was all so surreal it must surely be a dream…

_Right?_

That last part at least. The last thing she remembered was being bit by the alligator in the boat. Chase had cleaned up her wound and then…

 _Then what?_ That was where the warmth had come in. _What had he done?_   She vaguely remembered being carried somewhere.

 _Right!_ He must have brought her here to the hospital! _Of course, it all made perfect sense now!_ No matter how big an ass he was, even Amelie had to admit that he’d surely have looked after her.

 _So was he still here?_   Amelie tried to move again, this time fighting through the searing pain from her chest. _What the hell?_   It was her hand that had been bitten. Why did her damn chest hurt like she’d been kicked in it?

She let out a grunt of pain as she finally turned onto her back, her head pounding and her eyes trying to focus afresh in the dim light.

She heard movement to the other side of her and called out “Chase… is that you?”

“No sweetie, it’s me” the sound of her mama’s weary voice hit her in the gut and she started to cry, the realisation that something bad must’ve happened out there on the water. She’d been injured enough in the past to distinguish a quick patch up with something much more serious.

“Oh mama… w..what happened? W…why does my chest hurt so bad?” Amelie asked through the tears, fear now gripping her and making her feel sick to her stomach.

“Darling! You had a real nasty reaction to that darn gator honey!” her mama started “We… we almost lost you sweetie” she felt her mama’s hand grasp her good one and the tears fell even harder.

“But don’t you be fretting because Chase took real good care of you until he could get you here to the hospital” she smiled down at her daughter and heaved a big sigh of relief.

“I guess I should thank him…” Amelie mumbled as she wrestled with the guilt of how badly she’d been treating him since she’d arrived “could you get him for me?”

“Oh sweetie I would do, but he just left about an hour ago… I had to darn well force him to though… That Landry boy is stubborn as a mule! In fact, it took me calling his daddy to come pick him and his truck up to get him out of here...!”

Amelie raised her eyebrows and watched as her mama shook her head, laughing in disbelief.

But for Amelie something was wrong with this picture. Why the hell had he been _forced_ to leave? Sure, the stubborn certainly sounded just like him but she’d have thought he’d be glad to get away from her. It made no sense.

She tried to sit up but pain tore right through her chest once more. Fighting through it she looked down and could just make out electrode patches attached to her chest through the thin hospital gown. Her heart began to race as she realised she was also hooked up to several IV’s and a heart monitor. _This was not good!_

“Mama… what exactly happened? Please… tell me everything” she begged.

“My darling girl! There’s plenty of time for all that. You need your rest now…” her mama exclaimed, not wanting to stress her daughter out any more than she already had. Maria was no fool. Amelie, whilst strong willed to the outside world, was a sensitive soul. As a woman in a male dominated fishing industry she’d had to harden up, but Maria had heard her sobbing in her room on many an occasion after a bad day out on the water. Yet it had become an unwritten rule in the Jónsdóttir household that no one mentioned it. Amelie would get it all out of her system alone, not wishing to burden either of her parents, wipe away the tears and then get up to face the next day afresh.

“No mama… I ain’t gonna get no sleep while I’m fretting about what’s gonna happen to me now, am I?” Amelie protested weakly, tears beginning to well up in frustration “I’m a big girl. Just tell me. I can take it!”

“What d’you mean ‘what’s gonna happen’ to you ‘melie? You’re here… you’re safe in hospital!” Maria frowned at her daughter in confusion.

“I know that mama!” Amelie could feel the anger rising and tried to temper her next words “I _know_ I’m in hospital… and I’m sure they are doing everything they can for me but what in the hell does that even mean? You said ‘we almost lost you’…” she paused as she tried to make sense of things “does that mean I almost… died?!” she whispered “Mama… please, just tell me what the hell happened”

Maria knew when she was defeated. Amelie could be pretty darn stubborn when she wanted to be… _Hmm. Come to think of it, that’s who that Landry boy reminded her of!_ Lord, they were like two peas in a pod now she came to think about it… She sighed as she started to recount the events of the day, watching her daughter closely for any signs of extra stress.

“… and so I finally got him to leave with his pa and uncle. There was no way that boy was fit to drive home himself. He was dead to the bone!” she finished, squeezing her daughter’s hand before standing and stretching her arms out in a yawn. _He wasn't the only one who was exhausted!_

Amelie’s head was spinning with so many questions as she tried to make sense of what her mother had just told her. She’d almost died… _twice!_ Chase Landry… the man she _loathed_ and whom she was certain loathed her too had saved her life and then stuck around for over ten hours waiting for news! _And he’d performed CPR on her!_  She drew her hand up to her lips and skimmed her index finger thoughtfully over her plump cupids bow. That meant he’d had his _lips_ on hers and oh God! Those bear paws of his must have been on her chest! _No bloody wonder she was in pain! His hands where huge!_ She blushed at the thought. _Well, well Amelie! You’ve had more man action in one day than in your whole 26 years on Earth, even if you were unconscious at the time! Go you!_

Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss that image as she thought back to what her mama had said about her reacting to the medication. That shit had scared her! _What if it had damaged her in some way_? The truth was, she was petrified that she was going to be told that she would never be able to go back out on the water.

Fishing was her life… It was in her DNA. _And she wouldn’t let the Landry’s down!_ Certainly not after today… They’d been depending on her. And in all honesty, she’d been depending on them.

She needed this job.

_Fuck!_

God dammit, she was not about to let an alligator end her career! She made a vow to herself right then that whatever it took, she was going to be back out on the water in a week.

_To hell with the consequences…_


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

 

Chase tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, humming along to the bluesy tunes of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. It was early evening and he was worn out from a long day running the second boat with his Pa and Holdy but there was one more thing he needed to do before he called it a night.

He pulled up at the address on the piece of paper. Looking out at the white trailer house he wondered if this was such a good idea after all. In hindsight he probably should’ve at least called first but what was done was done. He was here now. He may as well get it over and done with.

Looking around it seemed deserted and he flipped the scrap of paper over in his hands. This was definitely the address. Getting out of the truck and walking a little closer he climbed the steps to the porch, realising that it wrapped all the way around. He walked along the wooden deck and as he turned the corner he spotted Jessica, Liz’s youngest daughter sat on the swing.

“Hey there Jess!” he smiled as he approached.

“Hey Chase! What’ya doin’ all the way out here?” she grinned back and started to get up.

“Stay sat… Damn! You went and got a whole lot bigger since the last time I saw you!” he laughed as he took in the large baby bump.

“Don’t! I already feel like a whale dude! It’s not even funny… Mama says I’m gonna have a twelve footer!” Jess pulled a face and Chase laughed good-naturedly

“Well it suits you” he grinned genuinely.

“Thanks… I guess! So what can I do for you anyways?” she asked “Mama’s still out on the water”

“Actually I just thought I’d stop by and see how Amelie’s doin’ an’ all? Seeing as I damn near got her killed the other day…” he frowned as he tried to pull off nonchalance but probably failing miserably.

“Well she seems much better now she’s home! They let her leave last night and she’s been resting up ever since” Jess face grew serious “Seriously though, you did a great job out there Chase! She was darn lucky to have had you with her”

“I doubt she’d agree on that…” Chase frowned “we haven’t got off to the best of starts y’know?”

“Really?” she questioned before mumbling to herself “Well, it’s hardly surprising I guess…” to which Chase looked confused and frowned again.

Realising she’d already said too much Jess decided to nip the conversation in the bud. “Right. I need to pee…!”

Chase raised his eyebrows at her revelation and opened his mouth to question her further but she interrupted him “Yeah, yeah, too much information I know, but when a mama’s gotta go, she’s gotta go… y’know?!”

“Well no… but…” Chase shook his head, confused but laughing.

“You will one day I guess… Well, not you but… dang it, y’know what I mean! Anyways… Amelie’s down the end there” Jess pointed to where another wing had been added on to the long trailer “You see the door? Just go right on in. She was taking a nap but she’s nearly due her medication anyways so I’m gonna have to wake her up soon”

With that, Jess walked down the porch towards another door and left Chase stood looking to where she had pointed. He smoothed the palm of his hand over his face, wiping away the sweat that had started to accumulate. Damn this humidity. He knew they were in for a storm. He’d better get this over and done with if he was to stand a chance of avoiding getting caught in the thick of it. Yet he lingered a moment longer as he once again wondered if he should’ve come.

Sighing he stalked along the deck before he had a chance to change his mind and came to the door. It was ajar, a screen door the only thing separating him from what, or rather _who_ was inside…

 _Well, here goes nothing,_ he thought as he tapped on the screen door.

He waited but there was no answer. He reminded himself that Jess had warned him she might be sleeping and wondered if he should really disturb her, but as he looked up at the clouds he decided it was now or never.

Chase sheepishly pulled open the screen door and entered quietly, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light.

He stopped dead when he spotted her. Amelie was curled up on one of the sofas wearing a pair of white and pale blue short pyjamas. A thin blanket was draped haphazardly half way down her bare legs, seemingly having slipped as she’d tossed and turned in her sleep. The waves of her long blonde hair fell around her face and her wounded hand was supported on top of her hip. Her skin was still ghostly pale and her face betrayed the trauma of two days ago even in her sleep. Yet as Chase watched the steady rhythm of her chest as she breathed in and out he felt something stir inside him.

She could well be the one of the most beautiful women he’d ever set eyes on. And being honest, he’d had his fair share of beautiful women. His Southern charm had always been a hit with the ladies but ever since he’d been on TV the offers had multiplied disproportionately. And he was never one to disappoint a good looking woman. _No siree!_

But this woman was different. She wasn’t falling at his feet. She wasn’t flirting with him or sending him naked pictures of herself. To be fair, she’d made it blatantly obvious that she hated him. Yet, as much as it killed him to admit it, he couldn’t keep his mind off her. He told himself it was because he hated her too, yet that didn’t explain why he’d woken up in the middle of the night for the past two days with his fist firmly gripping a raging hard on and the fleeting remnants of a dream involving her begging him to tie her up with the fishing lines and fuck her senseless! Nor did it explain why he’d felt the need to remember the way her lips had felt against his own as he’d finally come, imagining they were wrapped around his throbbing cock.

_Fucking hell! She was intriguing, he’d give her that!_

But now, as he stood over her, the tell-tale signs of yet another erection pressing insistently against his jeans he felt foolish and a downright creep. _This was wrong_ he told himself. He shouldn’t be here. Not like this.

He turned to leave and had almost reached the screen door when he heard a soft moan from behind him. Turning on his heels he took a couple of paces back towards Amelie and stopped again. She was beginning to wake, her body slowly unfurling and stretching out, completely oblivious of his presence. He stared as she held her arms aloft and her small breasts pressed against the thin white cotton of her vest top, revealing two clearly defined, erect nipples.

_Fuck! Look away dude, look away!_

He cast his eyes to the floor, willing the blood that was on a one way collision course with his cock to go someplace else…

_Anywhere else would do!_

His brain would’ve been an ideal venue come to think of it, because he seemed to have lost all rational thought as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Hey Amelie”

 _Shit! Why Chase… why?!_ _You could have just crept outside and kept your dignity intact but noooo! You just had to stand and perve over her, didn’t you?_ _And then if that wasn’t bad enough you had to pretty much get yourself caught in the act by opening your big, fat stupid mouth!_

 _Fuck!_ What had gotten into him?

“Wha...t?!” Amelie jumped and jerked her head, realising for the first time that she was not alone. Seeing Chase stood awkwardly in the middle of the floor she instinctively pulled the blanket closer, suddenly conscious of her dishevelled state.

“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you…” Chase apologised as he took a step closer yet turning away from her.

Amelie watched his jaw ticking and wondered what the hell he was doing stood with his back to her. Hmm… maybe he’s _trying_ to be a gentleman? _Bit late for that_ she thought… Still, she glanced down to check nothing had slipped out of her PJ’s whilst she was sleeping but everything was intact and the blanket now covered most of her legs so she wasn’t particularly exposed. Well this was weird.

_Chase Landry was an oddball if ever there was one!_

“Hey Chase?” she called out hesitantly.

“Hey there, how you feelin’ now? How’s the hand doing?” he asked, his back still to her as he busied himself looking at the photographs on the wall.

“A lot better thanks… Chase do you wanna sit yourself down?” she finally asked in frustration “I don’t really wanna be talking to somebody’s back!”

“I can’t stay too long… I really only dropped by to check that you were doing okay after the other day” Chase finally turned and moved over to the sofa facing Amelie, sitting as far away from her as he could. He fidgeted with his sunglasses as he waited for a response.

 “Well, I’m a bit battered and bruised and my hand hurts like a mother… but I’ll live…” she groaned softly as she adjusted herself before looking him directly in the eye “thanks to you…”

For the first time Amelie smiled genuinely at him. Chase stared at her for a moment wondering if this was some sort of joke. Despite the events of two days ago, he’d come here expecting her to tear a strip off him about something or other. And he still wanted to know what the fuck that was all about when she’d shouted at him in the hospital...

Still, he’d take _this_ over an argument any day! When she smiled her eyes lit up and he couldn’t help but stare back at her for a moment before he finally checked himself.

“Look, you don’t have to thank me… I’d have done the same for anyone…” he paused, thinking he saw a flicker of sadness cross her face, but it was gone before he could be certain “I’m sure you would’ve done so too. I’m just glad you’re okay. You scared the shit out of me out there… I didn't like that” he finished, being totally honest to the only other person who might understand.

“I scared the shit out of myself Chase!” she whispered “I’m sorry I scared you too though”

He watched her battling with some inner conflict before she continued “Maybe you were right about me going out in that boat” she sighed, suddenly sounding defeated “I keep wondering if there was something I could’ve done differently”

 _Wait… what?!_ Chase was shocked. This was not the Amelie who had fought for her life two days ago?

“Amelie, you listen to me and listen good. You did _nothing_ wrong, you hear me? **Nothing** ” he sighed as he saw the tears begin to well up in her eyes and walked over to her “hey, hey… don’t get upset. You had a huge shock. Damn it we all did! But look at you! You’re here now aren’t you?” he wrestled with hugging her but decided it was definitely too soon for that.

“I guess…” she snivelled, trying to wipe back the tears “I just don’t like being defeated… by anything!”

Chase looked down questioningly at her, not understanding “what you talkin’ about?"

“I had all these stupid ideas about getting back out on the boat next week, if you’d have had me of course…” she laughed but there was no humour in her voice “but I can barely even keep awake! Maybe it’s about time I realised I’m not the Big ‘I am’ I like to think I am!”

“Amelie… stop being so fucking hard on yourself!” Chase said gruffly. He was getting pissed now. Why the fuck had that alligator had to bite her? Yeah Amelie was a grade A pain in the ass most of the time but she had fight. She had guts. This woman sat in front of him was a hollow shell of the one he’d met less than a week ago in comparison.

_He had to do something about that. Even though he’d probably live to regret it._

“Right, you listen to me. If you want to get back in my boat you damn well can! But we have to call a truce, you hear me? You can’t be on my ass constantly. We have to work together” he looked her dead in the eyes as he watched her shocked reaction at what he was offering “but you also gotta promise me something else… You gotta get yourself well, understand? No more moping around. You need to eat, you need to rest up and you need to get your strength back. And when you do you can come back” 

Amelie’s lip trembled as she made sense of what Chase was offering. She still had a job… if she wanted it. _And God did she want it!_

“Okay” she whispered.

“Okay what? Do we have a deal?” he cocked his head to one side as he watched her slowly pull herself up so she was leant against the arm of the sofa.

“We have a deal” she smiled softly and wiped her hair away from her face before holding her hand out.

Chase took her delicate hand in his large palm and shook it firmly. “Great! Well, if it’s okay with you I’d better get off. I need to make tracks before this storm hits hard. Get Liz to give us a call when you’re ready to come back”

“Right… okay yeah” Amelie looked away, her cheeks pink. She released her hand and watched as he made his way towards the door before suddenly calling out “you be careful out there, you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am!” he turned back and tipped his cap, winking at her and then he was gone, just like that.

Chase waved goodbye to Jess as he walked back over to his truck.

He climbed inside and put the vehicle into reverse wondering what the fuck he’d just agreed to and how the hell he was going to level this with his Pa…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I went a little gif crazy... oh and just pretend the shadow is Amelie not Jacob! ;)


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

 

“So yeah… I kind’a promised her she could come back on the water with me next week if she’s up to it” Chase shifted uneasily in his seat as he looked over the dinner table at his Pa.

Troy frowned and looked to Bernita then back over to his youngest son. “You sure ya’ thinkin’ straight son?” his eyebrows knitted together and he shook his head before shovelling a spoonful of alligator sauce piquante into his mouth and smacking his lips “Mmm… that’s good!”

Ignoring her husband, Bernita looked her son in the eye. He was the one she always worried the most about, being the youngest and all, not to mention him having such a wild streak. “Son, I get that you want to help Miss Amelie, I really do… but are you sure this is such a good idea? She was real sick, y’know? What if that bite goes and gets infected again, or worse, something else happens while she’s in the boat? What you gonna do then? You sure you thought this through?”

Chase nodded thoughtfully. He knew his mama was right and that she had his, _and Amelie’s_ best interest at heart but, _and he knew it sounded crazy,_ neither of them had seen Amelie earlier. She’d been a shell of her former self until he’d made her that promise and no matter how goddamn infuriating she might be she clearly needed to be on the water. Worse still, for reasons best not thought too deeply about he felt obliged to help her.

“Y’know the film crew gets here in the mornin’?” Troy interrupted his thoughts as he scraped his plate clean “what we gonna tell ‘em?”

“What d’you mean? Who gives a rat’s ass what they think..?” Chase mumbled in between a forkful of food.

“I do boy!” Troy’s voice rose as he stared at his son in disbelief “You think your mama would be sat around in this pretty house now if it wasn’t for them? _Hey..?_ You think _you’d_ be ridin’ around on that fancy pants bike you got out back? Or we’d be travellin’ all over the country being invited places while you get girl’s numbers left right and centre...?”

Chase’s face instantly stiffened and his jaw tensed as he stared at his dad in disbelief.

“Don’t look at me like that son… I might be old but I ain’t blind!” Troy raised an eyebrow knowingly and piled another spoonful of food onto his plate.

Chase ground his jaw, anger and embarrassment at being called out so royally clear on his face. Worse still, Pa had done it in front of his Mama! He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks and quickly stood and turned towards the window.

Troy sighed and lowered his voice “Listen Chase Michael, they’re good folk. You know they are… They know we work real hard and all’s they’ve done is open up a whole heap of opportunities for us so don’t you go forgettin’ that, ya here me boy?”

“Yes Sir…” Chase sighed, pulling a face and turning back towards his parents “I only really meant why does it even matter what we say to the producers? I don’t understand?”

“Chase Michael, when they come here in the morning they’re gonna be wanting to know who they need to be putting camera’s on… they’re already late because of that storm out West so they won’t wanna be messin around…” Troy explained.

“And…? Sorry Pa, but I still don’t get what the problem is? You told ‘em about Jacob didn’t you?” 

“Of course I did! But, well, d’you honestly think Amelie is gonna be wanting that camera in her face at the moment… hey son?” Troy frowned.

“I guess not…” Chase sighed “but y’know, we could ask her? After all she knew what she was signing up to when she took the job, didn’t she?”

“Yeah… about that son…”

“What the hell Pa? You didn’t fucking think to _TELL_ her? _Son… of… a… bitch!_ ” Chase shook his head angrily and paced around the kitchen “you know it’s _me_ who’s gonna pay for that? Right?”

“Chase! Watch that mouth of yours, ya hear me boy?!” Troy yelled “It was _your_ mouth that stopped me getting round to it when we met her the other day!”

“Right… of course! Perfect… I should’ve known it’d be my fault… _again_!” Chase snapped “Fuck this shit!”

With that Chase stormed out onto the porch and down the steps towards his bike, ignoring the sound of his Pa yelling after him to come home.

 _Screw ‘em all!_ _He had to get out of there._

_He had to think…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is really, really short...
> 
> But the next chapter is a stand-alone so I kind of had to just post what I had :/
> 
> Also. Please note this is a work of fiction and is not intended to imply any feelings towards The History Channel on the part of any member of the Swamp People community. Furthermore, The Landry's worked hard prior to Swamp people so this is not an indication of any kind of privilege as a result of the show.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

** Chapter Thirteen **

Five days had passed since Chase had made his promise to Amelie, and five days had passed with no further word from her. He began to wonder if she was really even bothered about getting back on the water.

_Maybe he’d been wrong about her?_

There had, of course, been updates about how her hand was healing. Miss Liz and his dad were in regular contact. He’d overheard them talking yesterday and it had sounded positive.

So why hadn’t _he_ heard from her? Surely she should be calling _him_ with an update? Chase ignored the fact that Amelie didn’t even have his number. After all, if she’d _really_ wanted to speak to him about getting back in the boat she would’ve, wouldn’t she? Miss Liz had his _and_ his Pa’s number. All she had to do was ask her Aunt! He was still _technically_ her boss after all!

It was also five days since he’d had the massive blow out with his dad. In hindsight that hadn’t been his best move, given that he was now running the second boat alongside him every day while the team was a man down. But what was done was done. He couldn’t change what he’d said any better than he could change the feeling deep down in his gut that Amelie wasn’t going to return. Troy had been waiting for his son when he’d returned that night and chewed his ear off some more. Needless to say they’d argued again and Chase had ended up storming back out and falling asleep in his truck at the end of the road. He’d been in a foul mood out on the swamp the following day but as the evening drew to a close he’d realised they’d have to stick together if they were to get through the season, and a reluctant truce had been formed.

So now here he was. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 _Literally_.

Biting his tongue by day as his Pa berated and teased him in equal measures, whilst struggling with the nocturnal image of Amelie waking up as it fuelled his somnolent desires every night. He’d toss and turn, fighting off the thought of sucking on those tight little buds which had so desperately pressed against the thin fabric of her vest top, puckered from the cool air of the air con. He’d wonder what exquisite sound would come from that pretty little mouth of hers. What she could do for him in return... _Damn!_ The thought of her lips on _any_ part of him had him going crazy in nought-to-sixty!

_Enough!_

He needed to think straight. And this was NOT helping matters! As he continued to drive he tried to rehearse what he would say. The last thing he wanted to do was come over as horny! _Or desperate!_

_No matter the truth in both._

The sad fact remained that he _was_ desperate. Desperate to see her again and desperate to get back captaining his own boat. And there was only one person who could help him with both of those problems and she remained over in Pecan Island…

He turned on the stereo as he drove the final few miles, letting the upbeat vibe of Tab Benoit’s _Fever for the Bayou_ wash over him. He instantly felt a little better as he tapped along to the melody of his favourite tune on the steering wheel.

Finally pulling up at Miss Liz’s house he took a deep breath before stepping out into the evening humidity.

_Damn it, he was sweating already,_ he sighed to himself as he pushed his ball cap down on his head and shut the door. Looking up he saw Miss Liz’s truck parked out front and tensed his jaw. He had no idea what her take would be on Amelie returning so soon and he suddenly felt nervous. She was, after all a formidable character and for all their good natured banter there was no way he’d want to get on the wrong side of her.

He was deep in thought, thinking on this as he rounded her truck only to stop dead in his tracks.

On the steps of the porch sat Amelie. He had to bite his lip as he took in the sight of her. She wore low slung yoga pants and a blue sports bra top which showed off her slender figure perfectly. Gone was the ghostly pallor of five days ago to be replaced by the subtle golden glow of freshly tanned skin. He couldn’t properly make out her eyes as they were hidden behind large Aviator sunglasses but by the healthy flush to her cheeks he felt certain the bags had also gone. Her long blonde hair fell about her shoulders and down her back, held in place by a black ball cap. She looked the picture of health and vitality as she sat staring off into the distance, still unaware of his presence.

Trying not to stare at her newly revealed body for fear of getting caught he coughed in an attempt to get her attention but she didn’t move. It was only then that he noticed the wires leading down from her ears and realised she was still hooked up to her iPod.

He allowed himself the indulgence of one more appreciative glance from head to toe before he walked around so that he stood in her line of sight. He watched on with barely concealed amusement as she startled and then, realising she had company, removed the ear buds and stood to greet him.

“Hey there!” Chase smiled and tipped his cap “well you’re certainly lookin’ a whole heap better than the last time I saw ya!”

“Uhm… hi! Sorry, Aunt Liz never said anything about you comin’ over? Is everything alright?” Amelie tried to gather her wits after the shock of seeing Chase standing above her. She’d forgotten how imposing he was, his work worn grey T shirt doing nothing to disguise his thick muscular torso. And it didn’t help that he was looking at her in a way she hadn’t seen him look at her before. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was but it made her decidedly uncomfortable and she had to look away.

“Sorry, no… well she wouldn’t have because she didn’t know! Truth is, neither did I until I got back from fishin’ today… Thought I’d drive on over and see how you were doin?”   

Amelie felt self-conscious as Chase’s dark eyes continued to stare at her. She shivered, despite the balmy evening air and crossed her arms across her midriff. The action didn’t go unnoticed and Chase looked away and kicked at some imaginary dirt on the ground.

“Erm… well, much better, actually” she finally replied, trying her best to cut through the peculiar tension that had suddenly engulfed them both. In truth, she was finding making small talk with Chase deeply uncomfortable given their history, him having gone from douche-bag to sexist pig to knight in shining armour since their chance meeting five years ago. She’d held onto her anger after that night for quite some time, so now, just talking to him as ‘Chase Landry - boss man’ was disconcerting to say the least.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t erase the image of his photobombing face nor his anguished look as he’d coaxed the gator tooth out of her hand. And those two facets of him fought constantly with one another in her mind, so diametrically opposed were they.

Still, they’d made an agreement last week. If they were to work together she’d have to let some things go. Otherwise it would eat her alive and they’d wind up falling out big time once again. And neither one of them could afford that. So, with as much enthusiasm as she could muster for the man who made her so deeply uncomfortable, she signalled for him to come inside.

“Can I get you a drink or something?” she asked as she pushed open the screen door and lead him inside.

“Yeah, anything cold would be good… thanks” he replied, trying not to ogle the firm round globes of her ass as they moved hypnotically under the tight Lycra of her pants. As he, albeit reluctantly pulled his eyes upwards he got an unexpected but most rewarding surprise as he noticed a large floral tattoo on her right flank, obscured only by the waistband of her pants. He had to stifle a groan as he rolled his eyes at the heavens, wondering what terrible thing he’d done in a former life to have such divine torture thrust upon him.

 

 _S_ _omeone up there was seriously testing his willpower!_

He stood leaning against the counter, hoping to hide the inevitable arousal that he was now becoming accustomed to in her presence, as he watched her fix them both a drink. She passed him a can of Sprite before opening a bottle of iced water, downing it in one go and wiping her brow.

She tossed the bottle to one side and fanned herself with her hand.

“Listen Chase, would you mind if I quickly hop in the shower? You caught me just as I was catching my breath after a run and I must stink to high heaven! I won’t be more than ten minutes…”

“Knock yourself out…” he replied nervously, his depraved mind having suddenly been given a whole host of new fantasies that he was not even going to begin to get into right at that moment.

“Cool. Make yourself at home. TV remote is there… Aunt Liz and the gang are out on the lake fishing for supper” she shrugged as she quickly headed out towards what Chase assumed must be the bathroom.

Chase waited for her to close the door and sagged against the counter, removing his cap and running a sweaty palm through his hair and down over his face.

 _This woman was going to be the death of him._ _He just knew it!_

He closed his eyes and tried to think unsexy thoughts. Fish guts, rotten chicken bait and his pa came into his brain… _Even fucking spiders._

_Yep, that had the desired effect..!_

He headed over to the sofa and slumped down, flicking through the TV channels before finally settling on an old episode of _Duck Dynasty_.

Good to her word Amelie soon returned, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of knee length shorts and an oversized LSU T shirt, her wet hair pulled back into a ponytail. As she sat at the other end of the sofa, he got a waft of vanilla scent and it made him groan inwardly.

“What’s up then?” she asked pointedly and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. _Oh if you only knew Amelie!_

“Nothing!” he replied a little too quickly and she fixed him with a stare “Fuckin’ hell… Sorry. On the level? For some reason you make me fuckin’ nervous as anythin’…” Chase finally confessed, not altogether sure why he’d started with that revelation.

Amelie’s face gave nothing away as she continued to hold his gaze and he reluctantly continued, willing away the tell-tail reddening of his cheeks in embarrassment.

“Yeah, erm…” he exhaled “Anyway… I _actually_ came over to check up on you… that is, to see how you were healin’ and all. I guess I kinda thought, after our last chat that you’d have called me or somethin’…”

She opened her mouth but he continued “Miss Liz and my Pa have been talkin’ but anyways, I just figured I may as well stop on by and see for myself… see when I’d be getting’ my deck hand back… if you were still wantin’ to be?” he mumbled, beginning to feel foolish for how desperate he was probably coming across.

“Right…” she replied slowly, as she tried to digest his words. She knew she should have been focusing on _why_ he’d come but internally she was screaming _‘Chase Landry is nervous of me… ME!?’_ whilst desperately fighting back the urge to do a fist pump in celebration that he seemed to be intimidated by her. So instead she fixed him with another stare and smiled.

“Well… firstly. I _couldn’t_ ring you… because I didn’t have your number and besides, you _actually_ said just to ring you when I was ready…” she gently reminded him. “The last thing I wanted to do after we’d called our truce was to piss you off by ringing you constantly… especially when I didn’t really have any news, y’know? Or getting your number without your permission…”

Chase nodded mutely, his brows beginning to knot into a frown.

“And secondly, I was gonna get Aunt Liz to ring your Pa tomorrow after I’ve had my check up at the clinic. If the doctor agrees, I want to be back on the swamp the day after… if you’ll still have me of course? I've been running and stuff to get my stamina back up”

“Of course I will!” Chase couldn’t help himself as he practically beamed “You have no idea how desperate I am to fish somewhere other than where dad can be watchin’ over me!” he muttered and Amelie laughed.

“That bad?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Worse!” Chase grinned.

They sat silently for a moment, one smirking and one frowning as they both imagined Troy chewing Chase’s ear off constantly before Chase realised he had to address the elephant in the room.

“So there is one more thing…” he started, shifting uncomfortably in his seat and avoiding her eyes “it seems Pa wasn’t completely upfront with you…”

“How so?” Amelie looked concerned and he wondered why the hell it seemed that he was always at the centre of any crap _._

“Well, we have a film crew that follows us out on the water most of the season… and they started again a few days ago…” he muttered the final part, not daring to look at her.

“What the hell?” Amelie looked shocked.

 _F_ _uck!_

Chase _had_ been hoping that Miss Liz might have spoken to her about it so it wasn’t a complete shock.

“Let me get this straight… There’s gonna be a film crew and you’re only thinkin’ to tell me this NOW Chase Landry?!” she yelled.

Huffing and clenching his jaw in frustration he told himself to keep calm. It wasn’t her fault she was getting aggravated. Someone shoulda’ told her sooner! Maybe him in hindsight but he’d just assumed she knew already… but what was it his mama always said? ‘Never assume… it makes an ass out of you and me’. _Well he sure felt like one right about now!_

_But shit. The last thing Amelie should be doing was getting herself stressed out surely?_

“Listen… it’s honestly not as bad as it sounds. They’re good guys. We’ll have a laugh” he tried to placate her.

“Does this mean you’re on the TV?” she asked pointedly, ignoring his attempt.

Chase merely nodded, no longer trusting himself to speak.

Amelie looked at him aghast and Chase began to worry his lip. _Jeez! Where was his Pa when he needed him?_ He would’ve known what to say now.

“What’s the show called?” she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

“Swamp People… honestly though Amelie. There really is nothing to worry about, just ask your Aunt and Uncle… or Jess for that matter”

“What the fuck?!” Amelie yelled again “you mean they’re in on it too?!”

_Way to throw everyone under the bus with you dude!_

“Erm yeah… I honestly thought you knew though. I’m real sorry to be landing this on you now…”

“Do we even get any say in what they show?” she sighed, suddenly sounding defeated.

“Well, we’ve never really had much of a problem with that to be fair. But I guess they’d listen if you asked them to?” Chase had no idea at this point if that was even remotely true but the fact was he _needed_ his deck hand!

“I think I’m gonna need to sleep on this… if that’s okay?” Amelie whispered, all fight having left her as she stood and began to bite her lip, indicating that it was time he left.

“Yeah sure… Look, I’m real sorry you found out like this, I really am y’know? Anyways, here’s my number. Call me tomorrow and let me know... yeah? And if you have any questions text me or ring me… please?” he implored, almost desperately as he also stood and headed back over towards the door.

“Okay” she sighed “Well, thanks for coming over… I guess”

Chase tried to suppress the frown that was forming on his face as he reached his truck, instead turning back towards her.

“Take care Amelie. We’ll speak tomorrow… yeah?” He forced a smile before getting in the truck and starting the ignition.

_Well that went well…_

_Not!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait!


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapt** **er** **Fourteen**

Amelie tossed and turned that night. She’d had a rather heated discussion with her Aunt and Uncle after Chase had left. Why had her Aunt not mentioned the film crew before? She was more disappointed in her than anything. After all, it was her who’d got Amelie the job in the first place! Surely she’d known Amelie would have to be on TV?

Her aunt had eventually made her sit in front of the TV and watch some episodes of the show. Amelie had to then admit that the show seemed to be well edited and actually a lot of fun in parts. She saw her Aunt, and Troy and Jacob and a fair few other people she’d never heard of, all going about their daily business during alligator season. She saw Mr Glenn, a close friend of the family and Aunt Liz told her about his brother passing away suddenly. Amelie felt herself welling up with tears as her aunt spoke with such passion about the way the whole cast, crew and even fans of the show had come together whenever they needed to. And whilst the programme showed some scary situations it didn’t sensationalise them, so she started to feel a lot better about the idea.

But she never once saw Chase.

As she lay in bed she realised she was disappointed.

 _Stupid girl!_ She berated herself. _Why do you even want to see that infuriating man again so soon?_

And yet she did.

There was something in the way he looked at her, even when he was going crazy at her, that made her stomach tie up in knots. She had no idea what that meant but whatever it was she wanted more of it. Even as she lay in the bed she could feel her cheeks heat up at the thought of him.

_God. Why did the ass have to be so goddamn handsome?_

Despite her decidedly limited _(and that was being mightily generous!)_ experience with men, she knew what she liked and if she were to write a list of the features, Chase Landry would tick every damn box.

Tall? _Well, everyone was taller than her but Check._

Dark? _Check for both hair and tanned skin._

Handsome features? _Hmm… strong jaw, nice nose…cocky fucking smile? Check._

Broad chest? _Oh hell yeah… Check._

Muscular arms? _Seriously? Could an alligator hunter have anything but big guns? Check._

Broad shoulders? _Oh dear God, seriously? Check!_

An ass to die for? _That bootie was freakin’ hypnotic when he bent over in the boat! Check._

Come to bed eyes? _Oh God..! Check!_

And her particular weakness…

Tattoos? _Well that man was covered in them from what she could make out so… Check, check, checkity fucking check!_

As she lay there trying to think of any physical flaw she found she couldn’t think of a single darn thing. The man, in the flesh was just too goddamn perfect! Instinctively her uninjured hand trailed down to that place which seemed to particularly appreciate her current deliberations. It was throbbing with need and she did what any understanding owner would do to relieve some of the pressure. It didn’t take long, so wound up was she and as she clenched her thighs together she had to bite her lip so as not to scream out his name.

Immediately, she felt embarrassed, having allowed such a man to get under her skin and make her react in such a way. Memories of his arrogant, cocky nature and that recurring image in the club all those years ago flooded her brain and she shuddered at the way she’d just allowed herself to be overcome by primal instincts so easily. She’d have to watch out for that around him! If there was ever a man who shouldn’t be trusted with your virginity surely it was him? Amelie was certain he was the wham, bam, _if-he-had-to_ thank you ma’am!

Not that Amelie was particularly precious over her virginity, you understand. Truthfully, the only reason she _still_ was one was because of her total lack of experience with men in any way other than on a boat. That kind of put a dent in your chances of popping your cherry, so to speak! She wasn’t particularly religious, nor prudish and she most certainly wasn’t innocent when it came to do-it-yourself! The harsh truth was that it was actually becoming a burden that she didn’t carry well. And if she didn’t do something about it soon she just knew she would end up just like the title of a movie!

But as for Chase stepping up to the mark? No siree! No matter how desperate she was to lose her embarrassing title and how ridiculously sexy that man was she WOULD NOT go there!

She shook her head to herself then, as she realised it would only be a pity fuck on his behalf anyway! That man could probably get any woman he wanted. Why the hell would he bother with someone like her?

No. Chase Landry was most definitely off limits!

***

_Just in case you were wondering what images popped into Amelie's mind..._

_ _

_ _

_You're welcome..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess the movie? :D Answers on a postcard!!
> 
> Things are gonna speed up from the next chapter... Honest guv!


	16. Chapter Fifteen

** Chapter Fifteen **

 

Chase was tagging his sixth gator of the day when his cell phone started ringing. He quickly wiped his hands on his jeans and pulled it out of his pocket.

_Unknown number._

He was about to reject it when he realised it might be Amelie.

“Hello?”

“Erm… hi… Chase? The line sounds a bit fuzzy… is that you? Can you talk?” Amelie’s nervous laughter came down the line.

“Yeah… it’s me… I can talk, jus’ gimme a minute yeah?” he glanced up at his Pa and Holdy who were both giving him impatient looks. His pa hated him messing about with his cell out on the water. He pulled a face and turned his back on them before speaking quietly “How’d it go then?”

“Good… well great actually. The doctor is pretty impressed with my recovery. Hands still not perfect of course…” she paused “but it functions now!”

There was more nervous laughter down the line.

“Great… that’s great news I’d say… And what about the film crew? You thought any more on that situation?”

“Well yeah… I kind of got to talkin’ to Aunt Liz and the family last night and we ended up watchin’ some of the show… I liked it! I don’t honestly think it’d be too bothersome you know… just so long as it’s not too in my face…” she trailed off.

“Well that’s even better news then, ain’t it?!” Chase exclaimed, suddenly beginning to get excited again about getting back on the open water as captain of his own boat, and without his daddy breathing down his neck “so does this mean you want in? I mean you want to come back?” he questioned hopefully.

_Why did he suddenly feel so anxious as he waited for her answer?_

“Kinda… but I’ve got a bit of a problem you see…”

“Oh yeah?” he frowned “What’s that then?”

“The doc’s still concerned about my fitness levels and he’s worried I’ll overdo it…” she sighed “he knows I can’t predict what goes on in the boat but he told me I needed to get as much rest in between so I don’t get fatigued…”

“Okay… what the hell does that even mean? What’s he said exactly?” Chase’s brows were knotted in confusion.

_Was she in or not?_

“He basically said I can’t be doing all that driving every day… and to be honest, I reckon it’d be too damn painful for me to be gripping the steering wheel for two hours straight each way, y’know?”

“So, what you sayin’ then Amelie?” Chase’s frown grew deeper as he turned to look over the water. Out of the corner of his eye he realised his Pa was watching him like a hawk and listening intently.

“Well… it means it looks like I won’t be able…” her voice trailed off and Chase couldn’t be certain but he thought he heard her let out a sob “to… to do it… now…”

_Shit!_

“Do you still want to do it?” he asked hesitantly.

“Of course I damn well do Chase! What kind of stupid question is that even?!” Amelie shouted angrily “We need the money, Mama and me! Pabbi left us practically broke… okay?!”

“Shit! I’m sorry… I was just checkin’ you weren’t just backin’ out… fuck! Listen, don’t you be frettin’ you hear me? We’ll sort this yeah? There’s sure to be an answer” Chase tried to calm her down but honestly, right at that moment he didn’t have a clue what they could do.

He heard her let out a little yelp which he assumed must be her trying to respond but there were no more words, only the sound of distant sobs.

“Fuck! We’ll figure this… right? Look, I gotta go. We’re still out on the water right now. I’ll ring you later and we’ll figure this out”

Chase didn’t wait for any further response as it was quite clear there wasn’t going to be one right now. He let out a deep sigh as he headed back over to his rudder and set about preparing to move off.

“Y’gonna tell me what all that was about then son? Or have I got to keep guessing?” Troy stared his son down, concern etched across his face.

“Miss Amelie is good to go…” he started.

“Well, aint that good? That’s what you were both hopin’ for?” Holdy looked confused.

“…but she can’t do the four hour round trip each day…Doctor’s orders and all” Chase continued, unable to hide the disappointment from his voice.

“But you should be glad boy! That’s what you wanted aint it?” Troy teased him, laughing as he remembered the heated conversations they’d had when Chase was first introduced to his deckhand. Both boats pulled away from the bank and started onwards along the bayou.

But Chase had already realised this was not what he wanted. _And certainly not like this._

Fuck! Why did this have to happen at the start of the season? He huffed as he drove alongside the other boat whilst they went about checking their final lines for the day.

It was as they were pulling back up the boat ramp that Holdy looked from Chase to his uncle and back again.

"Y'all know there's a simple answer here don't ya?" Holdy stared at his uncle and cousin questioningly. 

"What's that then boy?" Troy quirked his eyebrow in surprise. 

"Well surely Miss Amelie could just stay over here in Pierre Part while it's gator season?" 

Troy looked from Holdy to Chase. Chase’s face was contorted in deep thought.

"What'dya think of that idea son?" Troy pressed him, his eyes staring at his youngest son expectantly.

Chase blinked and looked at his Pa.

What _did_ he think about that? If he was being totally honest with himself he wasn't convinced.

Sure, it would solve the problem of travel for Amelie. And that'd mean she could join him in the boat. _And that was a good thing._ _Right?_

Right. 

So why was his stomach churning at the prospect of having her so damn close then? Pierre Part was not a big town by any means. The likelihood was that they’d wind up running into each other all the time and Chase didn’t know if he could cope with that.

"Erm... I guess it'd make it easier for her. But to be honest I'm not sure she’ll go for it?"

"Why's that boy?"

"I dunno. Just a feeling... I know money’s already real tight for her…"

"Well there's only one way to find out I guess..." Troy shrugged his shoulders in frustration "Well..? Call her and ask son!" he beckoned impatiently “No time like the present!”

"I will do pa. Once we're home" Chase shuffled his feet, an increasingly uneasy feeling coming over him.

"No son. We've lost enough time. Call her now or by God I'll do it myself!"

_What the hell was Chase’s problem now?_

Chase sighed and tensed his jaw. He'd wanted to think on it a little and call her back with a plan. He hated being put on the spot!

"Chase Michael..." Troy warned.

"Goddammit. Okay!" He puffed, earning him a warning stare from his dad.

Chase dialled the number Amelie had called him on. It rang and rang and Chase was about to hang up when a breathless voice answered.

"Yeah? What... is... it?" she panted.

"Well hello to you too!" Chase replied jokingly but with just a hint of sarcasm. He could feel his heckles _and something else_ rising. _Shit!_ How the fuck could she do that to him with just a few words down the goddamn phone?! _A few breathy words..._ He reminded himself.

Chase tried not to think too hard on what she was doing right now to make her so breathless. _Concentrate dude!_

“Um… sorry! I was just running…” she panted and Chase could hear her taking a deep breath before letting out a long moan of relief.

 _Jesus, he could just fucking picture her right now… Hot and sweaty in that crop top and tight pants and…_ STOP IT!

_Seriously...! Get your fucking shit together!_

“Chase… hey? You still there?” Amelie’s voice drew him out of his daze.

“Erm, yeah sorry! I was just letting you catch your breath…” _Nice recovery Mr Landry!_

“Well I’m recovered now! Other than needing a damn shower anyways…” she laughed good naturedly not realising her words were about to put Chase into another tailspin as the same image he’d dreamt about last night flashed through his mind.

Coughing nervously, he tried to regain some semblance of composure.

“Right… erm… well I actually rang because there might be a solution to your commuting problem…”

“Ah… about that…” Amelie began but was interrupted by Chase.

“Look, it was Holdy and my pa’s crazy idea and I have no idea if you can even do it” he continued.

“Chase… I…” she tried to in interrupt him but he carried on talking, stumbling over his words as he rambled on.

“It just seems like a better idea than the commute… and if it’s a question of money I’m sure we can work something out… Pa knows _everyone_ in Pierre Part after all…”

Completely confused and becoming more and more frustrated Amelie finally broke.

“Chase Landry, for the love of God and all that is holy will you shut the fuck up and just listen for a minute?!”

“Hey… watch your mouth… remember we had ourselves a truce!” Chase bit back, his jaw tensing as he frowned down at his phone.

“Fuck’s sake… just listen will you?” Amelie huffed “about an hour after I spoke to you I got a call from Aunt Liz. She’d been speaking with your mama and they got to talking about my situation…”

“and..?” _Just spit it out woman!_

“Well your mama has basically invited me to stay with you guys for the rest of the season…” she sounded more hesitant now.

Meanwhile Chase’s head was practically spinning. _What the fuck?!_ He stood just staring at his phone, feeling the air leave his lungs.

_No. This couldn’t be good._

“Hey… are you still there?” Amelie mumbled nervously.

“Erm… yeah… well? So what did you say?” Chase managed to gulp out something vaguely resembling a normal voice. Little did Amelie know that internally Chase was already imaging a thousand and one scenarios involving them both living in the same house.

_And not one ended happy!_

“I said I would if it was okay with you… I know we’ll be working together but I can keep to myself once we’re off the water”

She sounded nervous, Chase thought. _Was it fair of him to say no?_ Especially now he knew she needed the money so badly. Despite the nagging doubts in his head he told her it was a sensible idea and they made arrangements for her to come over later that evening.

 _Why was he overthinking this though?_ He would get what he wanted. Well, one of the things... He’d be back to captaining the boat. _That was good, wasn’t it?_

But deep down he knew exactly why, although he tried to tell himself it was just because he was nervous of the prospect of them clashing even more if they were living in each other’s pockets.

The simple truth was, Chase Michael Landry was becoming infatuated with Amelie.

_And he didn’t like that one little bit._


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some gators were harmed in the making of this chapter...

  **Chapter Sixteen**

 

“You see the line Amelie?”

“No… I have no clue where it’s at” Amelie felt her arm along the bank, trying to remember where they’d hung it.

“I don’t see it either” Chase sighed as he stepped closer so that he was looking over her shoulder. At this distance their height difference was truly noticeable and he imagined holding her close, his chin resting on her head as her cheek nuzzled to his chest.

_Fuck! Stop it!_

He’d known this was a bad idea. He’d known it and yet still he’d agreed.

It had been a week since Amelie had come to stay at the Landry’s and for Chase it had been a week of torture. A week of trying to maintain some semblance of calm and composure whilst they were together in the boat alongside a film crew who recorded _everything_. A week of pretty much avoiding her when they got back to the house. As of yet he hadn’t even sat down to supper with her and his parents, much to Troy and Bernita’s chagrin. Instead he’d made excuses about working on his new bike or cleaning out the boat… _cleaning the damn boat for fucks sake?!_ Anyone who knew Chase Landry knew that he _never_ _willingly_ cleaned the boat!

He’d creep back in late at night, reheat the food his mama had left out for him and head wearily up to his room, pausing just for a second as he’d pass the guest room where Amelie was staying. He’d listen out, sometimes hearing the low hum of whatever music she was playing, it not being loud enough for him to make out the artist or song. Or she’d be talking quietly on her phone, probably to her mama or Miss Liz. He’d maybe hear the creak of a floorboard and panic, dashing back to the safety of his own room, only daring to breathe again once he was safely inside. Then he’d fall onto the bed, running his hands over his face in frustration at just how pathetic he was being.

Chase Landry did not obsess over women… women obsessed over him!

And this wasn’t him being cocky. Just one look at any of his social media accounts would tell you exactly that. He’d lost count of the number of marriage proposals, booty calls and pictures of tits he’d received since he’d started on the show. He took them all with a huge pinch of salt and the good sense not to let them get to his head but he couldn’t help but be flattered. _Or occasionally respond._

 _He was only human after all..._ And he _was_ single. It wasn’t like he was hurting anyone. But his responses had become few and far between ever since Amelie had set foot into his life. He just didn’t have the appetite for it anymore, it seemed.

“I see the pole snapped!”

Amelie’s voice brought him back into the here and now, and he sighed deeply, tensing his jaw as he realised he _needed_ to concentrate. He’d swore to himself, _and_ his pa _and_ Miss Liz that he’d watch over Amelie while she was in his boat and he was going to keep that promise.

_No matter the cost to his sanity._

He heard the sound of the film crew’s engine starting up as they moved to a better location to continue filming. Sighing again, he got back down to business.

“’kay, Amelie you get the rifle. I’m gonna see what I can feel under the water…”

With that Chase moved in front of her and slid down onto the ledge of the boat, trailing his hand into the murky swamp water.

Amelie held her breath as she watched on. _Fuck that was dangerous!_ Having been bit so badly she knew there was no way she’d _ever_ do that! He must be stupid. _Or have balls of steel..!_

She couldn’t help but giggle at the thought but quickly straightened her face. This was his livelihood after all. He didn’t really get an option in it, did he? She had to admire his tenacity. She wasn’t sure she’d have done it _even_ _if_ she hadn’t already been bit.

As she watched on, gun in hand, poised and ready she allowed her gaze to move from his hand trailing in the swamp, along the deck. It fell upon a sight which quite literally took her breath away.

As he lay prostrate along the deck, Chase’s ass was pointing towards heaven. _Well now…_ _could there be any better place for such an exquisite ass?_ She smirked to herself, allowing herself one more indulgent stare. But whilst that was _always_ a glorious sight to behold, it was what he was doing with his mouth that had truly got her hot under the collar…

 _Dear God! That tongue, pink and fleshy, might just be her undoing._ She couldn’t get the thought of him trailing it up her body as he licked and sucked along every inch of her needy flesh before plunging it hungrily into her waiting mouth from her filthy little mind.

 _Jeez!_ Amelie bit her lip, before realising Rick, one of the cameramen was pointing his lens directly at her. She blushed and tried to regain her composure, focusing on nothing but Chase’s hand. _But damn it if even that made her go a little weak now._

 _Concentrate woman!_ She cursed herself and set about waiting for further instruction.

“I can feel something… get ready Amelie” Chase’s voice was strained as he stretched further down.

 _Ugh. She could feel something too…_ and it wasn’t some damn gator. _It was a deep throbbing…_

_STOP IT!_

“I’m ready Chase…” Amelie spluttered, her face now bright red and eliciting a raised eyebrow from Rick.

“It feels like a big one…” he panted.

_Jesus Christ! What was he trying to do to her? Seriously!_

She poised the gun, her hand shaking from trying to compose herself and rid such improper thoughts. She was becoming such a fucking pathetic girl! Her pabbi would’ve been disgusted in her right now…“ _Never allow your emotions to distract you from the task in hand Amelie”_ he would tell her when they were out on the water.

Taking a deep, remorseful breath she refocused and watched as Chase hauled a massive writhing gator upwards. She followed its every movement, as it ducked and dived and was then hauled back upwards by Chase, his biceps bulging under the intense strain and fight of the huge gator. This one was definitely not going down without a fight and Amelie knew she had to be on point with her shooting. There would likely be no second chances on this one, judging by the precarious position of the hook.

“Chase, lemme get this side of you okay?” Amelie took control, realising her current position just wasn’t going to cut it. She squeezed past him, leaning out over the edge of the boat and signalled to him with her eyes and a little nod that she was ready. He winked in response and pulled once more on the taught line.

Amelie blushed before refocusing only on the rising gator and as it presented the small weakened spot in its hide she took the shot. It was clean and precise and she watched as the gator stopped fighting in Chase’s hands.

Chase let out a huge woop of triumph and she couldn’t help but grin as well, her face flushed with delight.

“Shacka lacka boom baby! It’s a freakin’ dinosaur!” he went to hi 5 her, but taken off guard Amelie collided with his hand as she bent over to put the rifle down.

“Shit! Amelie..!” Chase groaned as Amelie wobbled over and nearly landed in the bayou. She was stopped by the quick thinking of Rick, whose boat was now alongside Chase’s. He leant over and grabbed her from the side, his hands firmly wrapped around her waist as he pulled her onto the other boat.

Chase frowned as he watched as the cameraman took just that little bit too long to release her and, _was it just his imagination_ _or did he just rub his hand over her ass as he moved her back towards Chase’s boat?_

_What the actual fuck?!_

Chase watched on, his jaw ticking as he took in the scene unfolding before him. Amelie’s face was bright red and she was giggling like a schoolgirl. Meanwhile, the asshole cameraman… _yeah yeah, sorry… Rick…_ was looking smug as fuck.

“Damn it… Are you okay?” Chase quickly asked Amelie, avoiding eye contact.

“Yeah… erm… no harm done!” she laughed nervously, pulling her cap back down tightly over her hair.

“Yeah well sorry… but you need to be watchin’ what’s going on y’know? There ain’t always gonna be someone around to pick you up when you fall! y’know?” Chase grumbled, unable to stop himself. He huffed as he turned away from her and hauled the 13ft alligator single-handedly into the boat. He needed to release some of his pent up anger. _Best to take it out on the dead gator and not some cock-sure cameraman that was for sure…_

Amelie gulped as she watched on. _What the hell just happened?_ She knew it had been her fault but what the fuck had suddenly gotten into him? They’d been ticking along pretty damn well the past week, even going so far as to share the occasional joke out on the water. And her fears about being on top of him all the time _(stop it..!)_ in Pierre Part had been without merit. She’d barely seen him.

So why was he suddenly back to being a complete ass with her?

 _See Amelie! You were right about this guy!_ Maybe you should remember _this_ Chase when you’re having your stupid little fantasies!

Suitably chastised and now a little pissed, Amelie climbed back into the boat and set about re-baiting the line before they silently cast back off towards their final line of the day.

The mood in the boat was now decidedly cold and Amelie sat, looking out over the swamp with a mixture of sadness and anger. Towards whom though, she wasn’t completely sure. The final line was empty which didn’t help matters. Chase stomped around the boat, his face strained and that jaw of his ticking as he tensed and relaxed it.

_Mesmerising as it was, something felt decidedly off and she couldn’t put her finger on what it was._

As they finally made it back to Duffy’s they were met by Troy and Holdy who had also caught a sizeable haul.

Troy looked over into their boat and whistled as he took in the sight of the 13 footer that had caused such an uncomfortable end to their afternoon.

“Woah! That’s a nice alligator you got yourselves there!” he praised “I think that might just deserve a little celebration tonight! What do y’all think… should we have a cook out?” he looked from Chase, to Amelie and on to their film crew, completely oblivious to the underlying tension.

The three cameramen nodded happily, knowing they were destined for some good home cooked food down at the Landry’s. Troy looked to his son and Amelie, wondering what the hell had gotten into them now. Both seemed tense and if he was being honest, he was about done with their shit. Tonight they’d have a cook out, let their hair down and have a good time! Amelie had been staying with them for a week now and while somewhat reserved around him and Bernita, he liked her a lot. It was about time she got to see that it wasn’t all work in the Landry household!

_It was time to partay!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies.... I might have just gone a little gif crazy in this chapter. They were all too delicious not to put in though...


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This gets a little heavy towards the end so if you're not okay with anything non-con you might want to exercise caution...

**Chapter Seventeen**

 

Chase was pissed now. So much for just going home and getting out of the way of her. His pa had to go and invite the goddamn film crew to supper! Which meant he’d have to spend the evening around Amelie and that fucking prick, what was his name again? Rick.

_Ha! Rick-the-fucking-prick!_

He smirked at his juvenile joke, knowing full well he was overreacting but not caring. That guy had well and truly pissed him off out on the bayou. The film crew had been expressly told by the producers that they weren’t to interfere with the Swamper’s work. Well, rescuing Amelie had most definitely fallen under that category!

_Not that he would have wanted her falling in the bayou of course._

What he really would have wanted, if he was being totally honest with himself, was to _be_ the rescuer. The one holding her around her waist. The one running his palm over her ass…

_Stop it! You wouldn’t have done that! No matter how much you wanted to, you wouldn’t have so blatantly taken advantage of the situation._

_Would you?_

Chase thought back to the day when Amelie had been bitten, and wondered, not for the first time, if that was the point he too had stepped over the line. He knew, of course that the CPR had saved her life. But he still couldn’t get the nagging guilt that he’d maybe enjoyed it just a little too much. Feeling her lips on his, holding her body close to his own. _And it made him feel like such a douchebag._

Maybe he should give Rick a break? He told himself as he tried to forget the smug, self-satisfied look that passed between himself and the cameraman. Amelie of course having been totally oblivious.

 _Fuck it!_ He walked over to the truck and hauled his weary ass inside and started the engine. He didn’t have the energy for this shit!

Amelie groaned to herself as she climbed into Chase’s truck. She was dog tired after the week’s exertions, and in particular this afternoon’s events. Last thing she wanted to do tonight was to stay up late in his company. Because she knew damn well that Troy would _insist_ he be there tonight. And to make matters worse, Troy had gone and invited the film crew along as well. Joe and Mitch were a laugh but Rick made her uncomfortable. Whenever she looked up his camera seemed to be on her. And today, no matter how grateful she was not to have fallen in the bayou, she would have done anything for it not to have been him that grabbed her. His hands lingering on her had made her skin crawl.

_She’d make sure she was sat as far away from him as possible tonight, that was for sure!_

They drove the short distance back from Duffy’s in silence, each weighed down with their thoughts. Soon they pulled up outside the Landry’s and Chase turned off the engine.

Amelie was opening the door to the truck when Chase put his hand lightly on her shoulder. She jumped and he quickly removed it. As she turned to face him he looked contrite “Look, sorry about before. You just freaked me out ‘is all” he muttered. Without giving her any time to respond he opened his door and stepped out, walking over towards the garage where he kept his bikes.

Amelie sat there for a moment, a little stunned. _Did Chase Landry just offer her an apology?_ And an unsolicited one at that? _Fuck! The world must have just turned on its axis!_

She stared after him, wondering what the hell had just happened but was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of Troy’s horn beeping at her as he pulled up behind Chase’s truck.

“What’ya sittin’ out here for?” he laughed as he walked alongside the truck, his eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Nothing!” Amelie quickly gathered her thoughts and climbed down, following Troy up the steps and into the house.

“’Okay Miss Amelie… it’s about time you saw how we Landry’s like to relax… Now you go on up and get cleaned up because we gonna have ourselves some fun tonight!” Troy grinned at her as he pulled various cuts of meat and some fresh fish out of the fridge and set about preparing them.

“Are you sure I can’t help in any way?” she asked, feeling guilty as she watched the older man, clearly just as weary as herself,   

“No ma’am… this here is my secret recipe and there’s nobody but me that gets to use my smoker… even Bernita knows not to try!” he winked at her and she laughed. Troy was so funny. Such a good, honest and hardworking man.

She tipped her cap to him and walked over to the stairs, heading up to her room. Once inside she stripped off, knowing she must stink to high heaven. The only saving grace was that everyone she came into contact on a daily basis were in exactly the same predicament as her! She laughed at that as she turned on the shower. Whilst she let the water heat up, she grabbed her iPod and flicked through it, searching for something uplifting. Finally settling on a Calvin Harris playlist, not her usual style of music she conceded but definitely needed, she turned the volume up high and stepped into the shower.

_If she was going to get through this night she sure as hell needed to get pumped up!_

Chase huffed as he made his way up the stairs. His dad was out on the porch piling various cuts into the smoker, while his mama fussed about getting fixings ready. _Damn it but he couldn’t be arsed with this shit tonight!_

Still he’d reluctantly promised his pa he’d be there, knowing the alternative would be his dad chewing his ear off good and proper. So he walked up the stairs, deciding he’d just steer clear of Amelie… _and_ Rick-the-prick. _Yeah that’s what he’d call him from now on, he decided!_ He chuckled to himself as he reached the landing, but was interrupted by the sound of loud music coming from Amelie’s room. What’s more, he could hear her singing along to it. He was a little surprised at the choice. She didn’t strike him as some club scene girl after all, but he couldn’t help but grin as he listened to her off key performance. _It was nothing if not endearing!_ He also had to admit that whatever mix this was she was listening to, it was damn catchy as hell, the bassline pumping in the otherwise quiet landing.

As the track came to an end he heard her humming along to herself and the sound of the shower being turned off.

_Fuck! Here we go again…_

He quickly walked back to his own room, stripped off, ignoring the hard on that seemed to be omnipresent at the moment and climbed into his shower, not waiting for the water to heat up.

_If there was one thing he needed after today it was a cold shower and pronto!_

A little while later, he was downstairs helping his parents set up the table outside when the sound of trucks arriving made him look up. It was the film crew. Troy headed down the steps to greet them all, directing them over to the chilled beers. Chase tensed at the sight of _The Prick_ , but looked away as he saw Jacob walking over from the back of the porch. He wasn’t sure when his brother had gotten there but he was mightily glad to see him.

“Hey bro! Dad told me you caught a friggin’ dinosaur today dude!” Jacob slapped him on the back and fist pumped him in congratulations.

The pain at not being able to catch alligators like that one with his big brother played heavily in his heart at that moment for some reason. Jacob saw it etched across his face and looked at him in concern.

“Hey what’s up? Y’all should be celebratin’! Where’s Amelie at anyways?” he asked, looking around.

Chase shrugged his shoulders, trying to get out of the funk he was descending into once again. _What the fuck was wrong with him?!_

The two brothers walked around to the rear of the house, where Jacob’s wife, Lyndsi and their two sons where sitting alongside Bernita. Chase walked over to his sister in law and kissed her before ruffling the baby’s hair. He then grabbed young Ridge in his arms and swung him high in the air. The little boy let out a squeal of laughter as he threw his head back in delight. _Jeez, he loved his Godson so damn much!_ The little dude was always up to no good, just like him and they got on like a house on fire.

 _Maybe he’d just stick around Ridge tonight._ That might just be the safest option.

He hugged him tight to his chest and was about to tickle him when Ridge let out a big “Ooooh”. Chase looked down at him questioningly and he pointed across the porch. Chase turned and followed his finger and his breath hitched.

“Oooh!” Ridge repeated “who’s the pretty lady nunky?”

Chase stared as Amelie walked across the deck towards them. She was wearing a pair of short denim cut offs which revealed her toned thighs to perfection, along with a cream ruffled top and a pair of flip flops. Her hair was loose around her face and she wasn’t wearing a scrap of make-up. Yet Ridge had it spot on. _Damn if she wasn’t pretty as a picture!_

_ _

“Erm… this Ridge” he gestured to her as she reached them “is Miss Amelie… she’s helping me out in the boat while your daddy’s arm gets fixed” Chase tore his eyes away from Amelie and looked down at the little boy who was still staring, open mouthed at her.

_Hmm. Seems he wasn’t the only Landry boy she had that effect on!_

“Miss ‘melie?” Ridge looked from her to his uncle and back again “You look just like the mermaid in that TV show we watch sometimes!”

Amelie’s face blushed as she looked from Chase to the little boy.

Composing herself, she grinned at him before bowing a little and whispering in his ear “how do you know I’m _not_ her? And who might you be?”

She winked at him and he held his chubby hands up to his cheeks in surprise, turning to look back up at his uncle in excitement before whispering shyly “my name’s Ridge”

“Why Ridge… that’s a cool name! For a cool little guy!” she grinned again.

He giggled “You talk funny!”

“Ridge!” Jacob and Lyndsi both admonished in unison but Amelie just laughed and waved her hand at them to let them know it was okay.

“I guess I kinda do! That’s because I lived a long, long way away from here for most of my life” she explained kindly as they all sat down, Ridge now sat on Chase’s knee. Ridge’s eyes grew wide and Chase watched on in rapt amazement as she told the little boy all about Iceland and the volcanoes and glaciers near her hometown. She painstakingly answered every question he had, of which there were many. Chase found he too became entranced as he learnt more in that short while about Amelie than he had in the two weeks or so since they’d met. Iceland sounded truly magical and he couldn’t help but notice the sadness that crept into her eyes from time to time as she wistfully described some of her favourite places.

He felt incredibly sad for her at that moment as he realised just how much she’d had to give up when she’d moved over to Louisiana. _And with sadness came guilt._ Guilt at what an ass he’d been to her when she’d first arrived.

He sighed deeply and excused himself, telling everyone he was going to check on supper.

His shoulders slumped, he walked round to where his Pa was just about to serve up. He half-heartedly greeted the three camera men, noting wryly that they hadn’t missed the opportunity to get in a bit of bonus feature footage and then headed back to the others to let them know supper was ready.

They feasted on Troy’s signature alligator sauce piquante, along with alligator steaks, deep fried catfish and sac-a-lait. Afterwards, they all sat on the porch laughing and joking, chatting about their exploits out on the swamp over the years.

Chase was mostly quiet, instead choosing to watch and listen while he necked his beer.

 

He’d lost count of how many he’d drunk but it had to be a good few. He stared across at the swing from under his ball cap as Amelie chatted animatedly to Lyndsi whilst Ridge, perched on her knee, looked like he was beginning to get fussy. Checking his watch, Chase was shocked to see it was nearly midnight.

 _Well, no wonder!_ It was past _his_ bedtime, never mind Ridges!

Lyndsi stood, pulling the little boy up into her arms and waved goodbye to Amelie. She headed over towards Jacob who motioned to Chase that they were off. Chase stood and waved them off, swaying slightly as the alcohol hit him. He watched as they walked towards the steps where his parents were saying their own goodbyes and turned to where Amelie had been sat.

She was no longer there.

Puzzled, he walked around the porch but he couldn’t see her anywhere. He frowned as he drank the last of his beer and headed inside. His head felt a little fuzzy as he walked across the kitchen and into the hallway. He thought he heard muffled voices and looked around to the dark living room. Following the sound he could just make out the pale blonde hair of Amelie as she stood deep in conversation with someone lurking in the shadows. As Chase grew closer their eyes connected and hers grew wide as she seemed to whisper something. He frowned, stopping as he bumped noisily into the back of the sofa, the alcohol doing nothing to help him with his bearings.

_Was she whispering at him?_

Confused, Chase opened his mouth to speak when no other than _Rick-the-fucking-prick_ emerged from the shadows, looking like the fucking cat that had got the proverbial cream as he walked past Chase and slapped him on the back as if they were best buddies.

Chase balled his hands into fists and stared in disgust at Amelie before turning away and stumbling towards the stairs. He gripped the handrail, his knuckles white as he slowly pulled himself upwards.

Finally reaching the top of the stairs he stopped, steadying himself against the wall and muttered _“Just fucking typical! She comes across all sweet and innocent but she’s just a fucking cock tease like all the rest of them!”_

“I beg your fucking pardon?!”

Amelie’s indignant protest made him spin on his heels, almost causing him to fall over.

He stared at her, his dark eyes blazing with anger and frustration.

She held his gaze, her own blue green eyes flashing dangerously as she repeated her question “I said… I beg your fucking pardon?!” and raising her eyebrows as she waited for his response.

“You heard me…” he hissed “talk about making fast work of it with the crew! Jesus!”

Her hands were on her hips and Chase looked greedily down from her eyes, ignoring the hurt that was flashing through them as he feasted his gaze instead on those fucking hips that he desperately wanted to grab onto for dear life.

_Fuck! This wasn’t meant to be happening!_

“How dare you Chase Landry!” she screamed at him, eliciting his attention once more. He looked drunkenly back up at her face and could see the tell-tale tracks of tears as they started to fall down from those mesmerising eyes of hers. His stomach lurched as he began to realise what he’d said to her. He stumbled closer to her in an attempt to apologise but she backed away from him until she reached the corner of the landing. With nowhere to go he lunged at her and she shrank into the wall. He placed his hands either side of her for support as the drunken exertion began to make his head spin and she looked up at him like a startled rabbit.

_A startled and now caged rabbit..._

His heart pounded in his chest as he looked down at this beautiful woman, tears cascading down her cheeks _because of him_ , her chest heaving as she fought for breath in her panicked state _because of him,_ and her plump lip quivering _most probably because of him_.

_And something inside him snapped._

He lost all his self-control as he leant down to her and pressed his lips hard against her own. She protested, her hands pushing forcefully against his solid chest before grabbing fistfuls of his T shirt. He ignored her protestations, her mumblings under his lips as he continued to coax her mouth open with his tongue. Finally able to plunge it inside he thought he heard a faint whimper from her and then her hands slackened on his chest. He continued his assault on her lips, alternating between biting that juicy lower lip he’d dreamt about and flicking his tongue inside her welcoming mouth. _And God was it welcoming!_

She was beginning to respond, to bite back. _He could feel it._ Her own tongue was now dancing around doing all sorts of delicious things and he pressed his body against her, delighting in finally being able to be so close to her. _To smell her, to taste her, to touch her._

His mouth trailed down to her neck as he licked her collar bone and she let out a low groan. The sound went directly to his cock and he pulled his mouth away, fire in his eyes as he looked into her own. Her pupils were blown wide with desire but as he looked closer he saw something else reflected in her eyes.

_He saw fear._

He sobered instantly as he took stock of what he was doing. He had her pinned up against the corner of the dark landing, his parents _and a fucking film crew_ just outside. He had neither asked for, _nor been granted,_ permission and had instead drunkenly forced himself on her.

Ashamed of himself he instantly backed away, hands outstretched as he mumbled some pathetic attempt at an apology. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at Amelie, scared now of the hatred he’d no doubt see in her eyes. He had surely just fooled himself into thinking she was enjoying it, he warned himself.

Devastated at his actions he stumbled towards his bedroom, not once turning back and crept remorsefully into his room, slumping down onto his bed.

It was only then that he allowed the tears to fall.

_Tears of remorse. Tears of self-loathing. But most of all, tears of loss at what might have been if he’d only controlled himself and waited to see how their tentative friendship might have developed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eurgh. This chapter damn near well killed me. I'm sorry for the feels guys...
> 
> Here's a link to the tune Amelie was singing along to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTfVY5F1BkQ  
> (A certain Mr Landry might just have posted something about this particular mix a while back...) It is a baddass mix!


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Um... yeah... sorry again!

** Chapter Eighteen **

 

Amelie stood motionless, punch-drunk and unable to speak as Chase abruptly pulled away from her and started muttering some crazed and incomprehensible tirade before stumbling over to his room.

_What. The. Fucking. Hell. Just. Happened?_

One minute they’d been fighting and he’d been calling her a… _a cock tease…_ and the next he’d been upon her, his lips bruising hers with their ferocity. In her defence she’d fought him, _at least at first._ This was not how she’d dreamt her first kiss would play out after all… Not like _that_ … Not with _him_ …

She sighed as her finger traced her bottom lip, still moist from his own. From _his_ lips… The same lips she’d fantasised about, night after night for the best part of a fortnight now. From his tongue… the same tongue that he’d trailed along her collar bone and made her pussy clench, forcing out a guttural moan that she’d never even knew she was capable of making. From his mouth… the same mouth that had so thoroughly kissed her and made her quiver with desire.

She hated to admit it, but she’d _enjoyed_ it. _And what was worse,_ she _hadn’t_ wanted him to stop...

Yet deep down she also knew it was wrong. She hated Chase Landry… _didn’t she?_ He was the creep from the club all those years ago after all. And he’d been such an ass to her at times. Amelie chose to forget all the good things he’d done for her at that moment. Like the way he’d saved her after the bite, and the way he’d sat outside her hospital room waiting to see if she’d pulled through for countless hours _\- yes, her mama had told her all about that_ , and not least the way he’d lifted her spirits and motivated her to get her act together and her strength back so she could get back out on the water.

Her head hurt as she wondered how one person could be capable of such extremes.

Yet when he’d backed her into the corner, _this very corner that she couldn’t seem to move from_ , she’d felt the frisson of danger. The danger of the unknown. And she’d _liked_ that!

Her life was so damn predictable. Sure, she did a dangerous job but as for her private life? Well she literally had _none_. Unless you classed sitting alongside Troy and Bernita out on the porch like some pathetic gooseberry!

And she’d been yearning for some kind of male contact for years now, _hadn’t she?_ No matter how much she tried to deny it, no matter how much she pretended she was happy being single, or how she laughed that she didn’t need a man in her life, the simple truth was that she did. She just wanted to be like everyone else for once. Not the strange girl with the strange accent who didn’t seem to fit in anywhere or with anyone…

Yet when finally the opportunity had presented itself, what had she done? _She’d started crying!_ Tears of frustration and anger at how Chase had instantly judged her, not having any clue what Rick had tried to do to her in the living room. Tears as she’d replayed Rick dragging her into the shadows, gripping her arm tightly while his other hand slid inside the waistband of her shorts and groped her ass. Tears as she’d recalled noticing Chase watching on, her mouthing for him to help her and the hurt look in his eyes that had made her feel nauseous. And then the look of utter disgust when that creep had pushed past Chase, not only directed at him, _but at her too…_

_God but it was all such a fucking mess!_

Wiping the tears that were now falling afresh from her eyes, Amelie stood as tall as her diminutive stature would allow her, took a deep breath and tried not to dwell on the fact that the air around her still smelled of him. _His shirt, his sweat, his cologne._ He was everywhere and she couldn’t, _and_ _didn’t,_ seem to want to escape him.  

Not just yet.

 _Of course she could just bite the bullet and go talk to him…_ It would be the most sensible thing to do after all.

But what would that say about _her_? Tonight she’d been manhandled by not one, _but two_ different men and she was actually stood contemplating going to one of them… _willingly?_

_What the hell was she even thinking?_

And what if the reason Chase had backed away was because he remembered he hated her? He was seriously drunk. People did stupid things when they were drunk. Stupid, stupid things they regretted in the cold light of day _…_ What did they call it? _Oh yeah, having your beer goggles on!_

Even worse though to Amelie was the possibility that the _real_ reason Chase had stopped was simply because she was just a downright awful kisser! _It wasn’t like she’d had any practice after all…_

The thought of him laughing at her crappy technique mortified her. No. There was no way in hell she was going to set herself up for that kind of humiliation.

Her best bet was to get in bed and hope, _and pray_ that Chase would forget what he’d done. He _was_ pretty wasted after all. She told herself to forget it too. No use dwelling on what was done. She had to move on. _Let it go._ Otherwise, Amelie instinctively knew the rest of gator season was going to be a fucking nightmare.

Down the hallway, Chase lay on his bed pounding his fists into his pillows. Self-loathing and remorse had since given way to anger and frustration as he replayed the scene over and over in his mind, analysing every second. _He could have sworn he saw desire and passion in her eyes at one point._ And that moan she’d let out? That wasn’t the sound of someone who was upset, _was it?_ And he was almost certain there was a moment when he’d been backing off slightly and _she’d_ crushed her lips against his own. Or was that just what his depraved mind _wanted_ him to believe? That _this_ woman... This beautiful, courageous, feisty woman could, _just possibly,_ want him just as much he’d _finally_ admitted he wanted her?

It made the unpalatable truth that he’d overpowered her and forced himself on her no easier to swallow unfortunately.

 _That was it. He was never drinking again_ … And tomorrow? Well, tomorrow he was going to have a lot of explaining… _and_ a lot of grovelling to do if he was ever going to win back Amelie’s trust.

But explain and grovel, he decided he would do. Because if he’d learnt just one thing this evening, it was the stark revelation that he truly _did_ have feelings for Amelie. _And by God, one way or another he was going to find out if she felt the same._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah yeah, I know! They need their heads knocking together but the sad fact of life is that many people struggle to communicate their feelings... Chase is appalled with himself and Amelie, having zero experience, is wracked with doubts about what she actually feels towards Chase. Sprinkle in the perennial self-doubt about whether either one is good enough for the other and this is what you're left with...
> 
> A bloody mess!


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remorse is a heavy burden, but in its weight, it has great power to awaken men's souls ~ Jacob T Marley

** Chapter Nineteen **

 

It was a little after 2am when the phone began to ring.

Jacob felt around drowsily on the nightstand, knocking off the discarded baby bottle and provoking a mumbled “Huh… honey?” from his sleeping wife.

“Nothing darlin'… go back to sleep…” he quickly turned and patted her gently before grabbing the still ringing phone and looking at the caller I.D.

_What the hell was the matter this time..?_

Grumbling to himself he stumbled to the bedroom door, trying to be quiet but stubbing his toe against the door frame in the process and yelling out in frustration.

“Motherthingy!” he cursed as he shut the door. They’d been trying their best not to curse around young Ridge as he was picking up new words every day and _Motherthingy_ and _gosh darn it_ were now staples in their household as a result.

The phone had stopped ringing but as he went to press call back it rang again. Creeping past Ridge’s room he heard the baby beginning to cry back in their bedroom and cursed his inconsiderate brother even more.

“Jacob? Jacob are you there?” Chase’s voice sounded frantic and an icy chill formed in the pit of Jacob’s stomach.

“Chase? What in the hell is the matter? Have you any clue what time it is?! Is it Mama? Is it Pa? Are they okay?!” he asked, panic beginning to grip him.

“No… no… they’re fine… It’s me bro… I’m a fuckin’ ass dude… I’ve seriously fucked up”

Jacob rolled his eyes and took a deep breath trying to level his temper. _He was getting too old for this shit_. He’d been bailing Chase out of crap since as long as he could remember.

“Well that's nothing new is it dude?! What you gone and done now..?” he sighed, grabbing a glass of water and settling down on the sofa. _This one sounded like he might be here a while._

“I’ve fucked up Jacob… I’ve really fucked up and I got no idea how to make it better… Pa’s gonna tear me apart if he ever finds out!” Chase’s voice was growing more and more frantic by the second and Jacob sat upright.

Whatever the hell he’d done this time sounded bad. _Real bad._

_Jesus! He’d been drinking earlier. A lot!_ Lyndsi had noticed it, and so had he.

_If he’s gone and got himself booked again he was right,_ Pa _would_ kill him! Chase needed to be able to drive. If his license was to get suspended there would be hell to pay!

“Look dude… you need to stop talkin’ in riddles and just spit it out… what in hell is the matter with you?”

“I… I… fuck…I can’t even bring myself to say it… Oh fuck... what if Mama finds out? It'd break her heart...” Jacob heard a strangled cry and then the sound of his brother sobbing uncontrollably into the phone.

_Okay now his brother was beginning to really freak him out!_

“Chase… Chase? You there dude? I’m coming to you okay?” There was no answer and the phone went dead. Jacob anxiously walked back to the bedroom and awkwardly pulled on a pair of jeans and a T shirt.

Lyndsi looked questioningly at Jacob but could see that whatever was the matter was serious enough for him to have to go out. She had the baby rested on her chest, him having fallen back asleep as she nursed him, so she whispered to her husband asking if everything was okay.

“Baby… I’m sorry. It’s Chase… he’s a mess. I need to go see him” Jacob kissed her gently on the forehead, not wanting to disturb his son and stroked his head lightly before heading to the door “I’ll be back as soon as possible darling. I love you”

Lyndsi blew him a kiss and sighed as she watched him close the door. She loved her brother in law, she truly did. He was a good man. _A little wild at times, but a good man just like his brother._ But what he needed more than anything was to find a good woman who could temper his crazy lifestyle. Someone stable, someone who shared the same values as the Landry’s and who he could make a real life with. _He was getting too old for this partying life!_

She’d surprisingly thought she might have seen a little spark this evening to be honest. She’d noticed the way he’d watched Amelie as she played with Ridge. There had been a little sparkle in his eyes... She’d never seen him like that around a girl before and she commented as much to Jacob on the ride home. He’d laughed, telling her she must be mad, explaining that from what he’d heard from his Pa and Holdy they could barely stand to even be in the same boat as one another. But Lyndsi was not convinced. Every time she’d looked up from the swing she’d seen him staring at Amelie. Lyndsi could feel the sexual tension a mile off and from the way Amelie had flicked her hair nervously and glanced up at him from under her lashes when she thought no-one was looking, the feeling was clearly mutual! _It was kind of cute to be honest._

Lyndsi had gotten on with Amelie like a house on fire. She was so charming and funny when they’d sat chatting on the swing, listening to stories about Jacob and Chase and telling Lyndsi about her own childhood. She hadn’t pried too deeply though because it was clear the death of her father was still raw to her when her chin wobbled and her eyes glistened. So she’d swiftly changed the subject, telling her about how Chase liked to take Ridge out on the water with his Paw or Jacob. Her eyes had lit up then so she’d continued telling her stories of his many antics as a child, likening him to Ridge in many ways.

As for Ridge, well he was already besotted with her! Her son could sometimes be shy around strangers but he sat for a good hour questioning her about Iceland and Amelie, to her credit, patiently and diligently answered every darn question, however strange!

Yes. Lyndsi already liked Amelie a lot. She had a feeling they could be good friends. They’d agreed to meet up later in the week for a bit of a girlie evening.

Lyndsi had a few close friends but they’d spread out across Louisiana over the past few years as they or their spouses had needed to move for work, so she could really do with a friend and by the looks of things Amelie could do too.

And that brought her back to Chase. She bit her lip as she wondered what the hell he’d done this time. She hoped Jacob could talk some sense into him before he did something stupid and really hurt himself or someone else.  

***

“Where are you dude?” Jacob repeated into his cellphone, getting more and more concerned as the minutes ticked on. Chase was still crying and mumbling something incomprehensible “Chase… brother… where are you? Are you at the house?”

“No…” he heard Chase sniff loudly and attempt to clear his throat. When he spoke again his voice still wavered but the crying seemed to have stopped “I’m in the garage…”

“Right. I’ll be right with ya okay? Stay where you are…”

Jacob thanked God for having built their house just a short walk from his parents at that moment. He walked along, his mind racing as he went through every conceivable scenario.

_Jeez! He was in the garage…_

Dang! If he’s crashed his truck again he was right, Pa _would_ skin his hide just like a freakin’ alligator! He sighed as he finally reached the door and pulled it back. The garage was still in darkness as he called out to his brother.

“Over here” muttered a woeful voice. Jacob looked around but still couldn’t see a thing. He used the light from his cell to find the light switch and flicked it on, only to be cursed out by Chase.

“Fuck! No… please turn it off! What if Pa gets up and sees it on?” he hissed.

Jacob huffed and looked to where the voice was coming from. Seeing Chase sat in the boat he sighed and took a quick glance around the garage.

Well everything _looked_ okay... He couldn’t see any damage to anything. That is, other than Chase who was sat forlornly, his head bowed and his palms clasped tightly to either side of his scalp as he rocked back and forth.

_Jesus Christ! What in hell had gotten into him? He’d seemed a little off earlier but nothing like this!_

He felt sick as he flicked the light switch back off and used just the torch function on his phone to make his way over towards his brother.

Clambering awkwardly up into the boat, using his one good arm for leverage, he finally sat down next to his brother. He sat the phone alongside him so that he could just about make out Chase’s features.

“Chase? Bro? What in hell is the matter dude? You’re scaring me…”

He heard Chase sniff again and could make out his hands fisting his hair tightly. His knuckles were white and full of tension. Jacob moved slightly so he could put his arm around his brother and Chase broke out into another round of gut-wrenching sobs, shaking violently with each and every one.

_Fuck! Whatever had happened, his brother was in a world of pain and Jacob vowed to do whatever it took to help him sort it out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay yeah. Y'all know i'm sorry... so yeah.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice" ~ Mark Twain

**Chapter Twenty**

Amelie tossed and turned in bed. She simply couldn't get the memory of Chase Landry's wild eyes out of her head. She had no real life experience of these things but she'd seen enough on the TV to know that he'd wanted to do more than just kiss her.

But he hated her... _Didn't he?_

Everyone said so. He couldn't even bear to be around her for the most part! So why the hell would he come on to her? It made no sense. Not for the first time Amelie cursed her naivety in all things relating to the heart. If only she had someone she could talk to about this... No way could she tell her mama. Much less Aunt Liz. Amelie knew enough to recognise that the way Chase had gone about it had been inappropriate. _Out of order even._ And both Aunt Liz and her mama would have no hesitation in tanning his hide.

And crazy as it sounded, Amelie didn't want that.

The problem was that, bizarrely, it wasn't the fact that he'd forced himself on her that was keeping her awake. What kept running through her mind was that she'd been upset when he'd _stopped._

The familiar feeling of being inadequate once again flooded through her veins as she shed more tears. Tears for her inability to be like other girls. Tears for her inability to be desirable enough for any man. Tears for the anguished look that had crossed Chase's face as he'd come to his senses and realised he was kissing _her_.

_Mouthy, arrogant, argumentative, tomboyish Amelie._

Amelie the 26 year old virgin! Not that he knew that... _Or did he?_ It was only after she'd started to respond that he'd pulled away after all... _Could he possibly know just by the way she kissed him back that she was a novice?_ The thought made her cringe and fresh tears welled up in her eyes once more.

What must he think of her?

She was a waste of space. A pathetic excuse for a woman and most definitely not worth his energy. He'd made a stupid mistake and had the good sense to realise it before it went too far.

 _But Amelie still wanted more._ She touched her lips again. They were still a little swollen from his bruising kisses but they felt good. They made her feel like she was truly alive for the first time.

She sighed and got out of bed, she was far too restless to sleep. She needed to talk to someone otherwise she would go mad. She had no idea how she was going to face him in the morning. Wracking her brain she had an idea. Jessie Lou might still be up. She had told Amelie the other day that she wasn't sleeping much at night. Seems baby was a night owl and kept her on her toes as it used her bladder as a football.

_Well it had to be worth a shot._

She grabbed her cell and fired off a message on Facebook. She figured if Jess was awake she'd probably be messing about on that like she usually did. Plus she didn't want her phone going off if she actually was asleep. _Poor girl was bloody exhausted all the time in this heat._

She went to the bathroom and then stood staring in the mirror at her reflection. _Well, didn't she just look a fucking fright!_ She quickly splashed her face with water and patted it dry.

When she walked back towards the bed her cell began to vibrate. She ran to it and looked at the screen, smiling with relief.

_Maybe there was a God!_

"Hey Jess!"

"Hey Amelie! What kind of time is this for a gator hunter to be up?!" she laughed.

" _Don't!_ Just the thought of work is makin’ me feel sick!" Amelie groaned, feeling the tears begin to well up yet again. _Jeez_. She really needed to get a check on her emotions!

"What the hell's the matter hey?" Jess asked concern in her voice "You said you were freakin’ out and needed help...?"

Amelie quickly explained about Rick. Jess started to rant about her needing to talk to the production team but she interrupted her, explaining that there was much more. _Much more troublesome things_ …

The tears began to really fall as she finally admitted to Jess about her lack of experience and knowledge of what to do around men.

"Well that explains a lot!" Jess mumbled down the phone, to which Amelie frowned before whispering "something happened with Chase..."

The line was silent for a moment and then Amelie heard Jess's voice, low and strained as she began to question her.

"Did he hurt you?"

"Are you okay"

_No answer from Amelie. Just loud sobs._

"Amelie... Tell me exactly what happened... Do I need to come down there? Do you need to see a doctor?"

_Shit! Jess clearly was going off on a tangent._

"Jess... Jess! He didn't hurt me! It wasn't like that. It was just a kiss... I mean, yeah he came on a bit strong but..." Amelie snivelled.

"Then why in the hell are you getting all hysterical?" Jess was confused and not feeling particularly tolerant given her lack of sleep "I mean... Yeah. That was a dick move on his part and it must have shook you up..."

"I _liked_ it!" Amelie blurted. "Jess. I fucking didn't want him to stop. I even kissed him back! But then he pulled away from me like I was the freaking devil and ran off... well… staggered, back to his damn room! He was pretty drunk..."

"Woah... Go back a minute? You... _liked_ it? Amelie? Are you sayin’ what I _think_ you're sayin'?" Jess's voice was altogether lighter now as the slightest hint of teasing came into her voice.

"You've got the hot’s for Chase Landry?! _Oh My God_ 'Melie?! _This is huge!!"_ Jess started giggling.

Amelie huffed as she waited for the laughter to subside. She'd give Jess a by for now, given that it was silly o'clock, and she was hyped up with baby hormones. But damn it, if she didn't stop laughing soon Amelie was gonna put the phone down!

"Jess.... Jess... _Jess!!_ " Amelie hissed.

"Um. Sorry... You were sayin'?"

"Jess... What do I do?"

"Okay.  Seriously. And no bullshitting me 'cos I'll know 'melie... Do you like him?"

Amelie hesitated for just a moment before blurting “I can't stop thinking about him Jess! I go to bed thinking about him and I wake up thinking about him! Then I have to spend all day trying _not_ to stare at his _ass_... and his fucking _huge_ _hands_! When all I want is for them to grab me just like tonight!"

Amelie let out a huge sigh of frustration after her confession. There was silence at the other end of the phone until Jess laughed again, only this time it was much lighter.

"Well you know what you gotta do, don't you girl?" she grinned down the phone in excitement for Amelie "you got to go take your ass to his room and tell _him_ that!"

"Are you fuckin kidding me?"

"No!" Jess was serious now "Amelie. You know I love you, don't you? Just trust that I have your best interest at heart here girl! Go to him, _tell_ him EXACTLY what you told me"

"But... but, he'll be sleeping. I can't go to his _bedroom_... That's _so_ inappropriate! And I’m in his parent’s house Jess!"

"Look I’m not sayin’ go hump the dude! Just tell him how you feel! Cos the only thing inappropriate is that you are so sweet, so funny and so darn pretty yet you've never even been to second base! In fact that's just a tragedy and one which we are going to solve! Go wash your face, get on your cutest pyjamas and get your ass over there now... And you better ring me later with all the goss!"

"But..."

"No buts! I'm gonna tell you something now... I had a feeling there was something going on with Chase... He ain't ever come to Pecan Island on his own before, y'know? Jess pointed out "and he was fidgety like a dog on heat!" she giggled at the memory "I darn well knew there was something going on with him… Mama told me about him waiting at the hospital for you! Mark my words, Chase would be pretty darn happy if you knocked on his door right now!"

“I guess I could go… I’ll just say I was going for advice about that creep and see what happens from there…” Amelie said uncertainly.

“Sounds good to me ‘Melie… be sure to ring me later! Love you”

“Love you to… and Jess? Thank you”

Amelie put down the phone and made her way back to the bathroom.

 _Ugh_. Still tearstained face! Sunburn on the tip of her nose and now bloodshot eyes. _Great!_ Still, he’d seen her worse! She had to forego the ‘cute pyjama’ advice… she didn’t own any. Instead she pulled an LSU T shirt over her naked body and grabbed a pair of jersey shorts. That was the best she could do…

She took a huge breath, opened the door and looked out onto the landing. She could just make out Chase’s door from where she stood. The only saving grace about the room configuration was that Troy and Bernita’s room was just about as far from her and Chase’s room as possible. She’d be mortified if she got caught creeping to their son’s room!

She tiptoed along the landing until she reached his door. She listened but there was no sound coming from his room.

_Shit! He was probably asleep…_

_Oh well… here goes nothing…_

And with that, Amelie took a deep breath and knocked.  


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on to realise what you gotta do...

** Chapter Twenty One **

Chase’s voice trembled as he finished recounting his evening’s escapades to his stunned brother. He was shocked when Jacob didn’t immediately chew his ear off. Tentatively glancing sideways, he saw that Jacob’s face was taut, his forehead creased and his mouth hanging open.

Chase tugged his cap down low over his eyes and waited.

_And waited._

“God! Say somethin’ at least will you dude…” Chase muttered as he rubbed his face in anguish “I can’t take the silent treatment… I’m already a fuckin’ mess” he groaned.

Jacob let out a long sigh “ _You’re a mess?_   _YOU’RE A MESS?_ ” he yelled, taking Chase aback. He knew he had it coming, that was for sure but Jacob rarely ever raised his voice! But he wasn’t done there “ _Seriously Chase?_   How the fuck do you think Amelie will be feelin’ right about now? HEY? You thinkin’ she’ll be sleepin’ sweetly? Well do ya?”

“No… I _know_ I was outta’ order dude! Why you think I’m sat out here like this? It’s fucked up man! I hate myself for what I did tonight...” Chase snapped, tears forming again. _Fuck! What kind of shit was this?_ _When the hell did he turn into some pussy he couldn’t stop crying?!_

“Dude, you need to quit your cryin’ and go make this right… you realise how bad this could’ve got, don’t ya’?”

“Yeah…” Chase mumbled, unable to look at his brother.

“No but _really_ Chase, look at me! You get what I’m sayin’ ? I mean, I don’t know if or what we could’ve done to… not let it happen… But how it ended up, could’ve been a whole lot worse…”

Chase nodded, bile rising from the pit of his stomach, knowing exactly what his brother was getting at.

He was mortified that Jacob was even thinking along those lines, yet at the same time, _who could blame him?_   For all Chase knew, _Amelie_ was probably thinking the same damn thing!

_Jeez…_ Jacob was right. No matter what, regardless of if he’d totally blown any kind of well… _anything_   with Amelie, he _needed_   her to know he would never do something like _that_.

He took another long, deep sigh and faced his brother once more.

“I really fucked up this time didn’t I?” he groaned, rubbing his hand over his tear stained face and trying to gather his wits.

“You sure did bro… but y’know. Like I said, it might’ve been a whole lot worse and at the very least you realise that…" Jacob raised his eyebrow at his younger brother knowingly "Who knows, this might just be the wake up call you needed?” 

He really was a good kid underneath all this shit. Underneath all the ink, all the fancy bikes and trucks and despite all his partying trips here, there and everywhere he was still his kid brother. Still the skinny little kid who used to run around butt naked as a toddler. Still the little kid who dreamt of being just like his big brother and pa when he’d first got into the boat and still the loving uncle who doted on his nephews.

_Yeah. He could fix this._

But there was still something niggling at Jacob.

“Dude… I just remembered a little something Lyndsi said to me on the way home… Now don’t you be gettin’ your hopes up or anything after the shit you just pulled but she reckoned you liked Amelie…”

“Well duh!” Chase wisecracked, pulling his face at his brother.

_J_ _eez! Had he not listened to a damn word he’d been saying?!_

“Shut up wise ass!” Jacob warned “I was _gonna_ say, Lyndsi seemed to think Amelie liked you _too_ … although God only knows why she would!” Jacob smirked then and winked at his brother, a tiny bit of levity finally falling over the pair of them.

“For real?” Chase sat upright. _Could it be true?_   Could it possibly be that he _hadn’t_   just imagined it? “Just say Lyndsi’s right… And we _both_ know she pretty much always is, that wife of yours!” Chase smiled then and Jacob nodded knowingly “Well then why the fuck was she messin’ around with that prick from the film crew today dude? Tell me that…”

“Dude… she's a woman! Who the hell knows?" _Well probably Lyndsi_ he thought "Just because I’m married to one, don’t mean I have a damn clue what’s going on in her head half the time… You know I love Lyndsi more than life but she still confuses the hell outta me at times!” Jacob chuckled.

“All's I know is, when he caught her in the boat today he was all over her, grabbin’ her ass and stuff and she never stopped him or anything… I didn’t like that” Chase could feel the jealousy and anger starting to rise in him once more and tried to shake it out of his head.

_He was one to talk after his behaviour!_

“But… she was mouthing something to me when she was in the living room…” Chase suddenly remembered. Why hadn’t he remembered that earlier? Of course, he knew the answer to that!

_Stupid dumb ass._

He’d been too pissed seeing that prick appear, just _knowing_ his hands must’ve been all over Amelie again… Well, he’d just seen red. He tried to remember what Amelie’s expression was but the only thing he knew for certain was that she hadn’t looked particularly happy. But he’d put that down to her seeing _him!_ He was used to getting dirty looks from her, after all. So he just assumed she was pissed he’d caught her with that guy. Assumed she’d mouthed for him to go away or something like that.

“Maybe she was tryin’ to make you jealous?” Jacob sighed “or maybe she likes you _both_ but he isn’t a fuckin’ ass to her all the time!” he quipped, eliciting a frown from Chase.

“Look. The only way to find out for sure is to just ask her, y’know?” Jacob yawned and shrugged his shoulders “Dude it’s gettin’ real late… or real early I guess! You need to go and sort this. Whatever happens, I’m here for you”

Chase’s eyes were glassy again with tears as he heard those words from his brother. Sure they fought and he could be an ass at times but for Jacob to say that after what Chase had just confessed meant the world to him.

“What a nightmare” he sighed, rubbing his head.

“Maybe… or maybe this could be your wake up call Chase!” Jacob nodded.

They hugged before climbing down from the boat and making their way back out into the humid night air. The sun would be rising soon enough and they both knew it was going to be a long day.

Chase thanked Jacob for coming to his rescue yet again, vowing that this would be the last time he would put him in such an awkward position. Jacob smiled knowingly but said nothing. He knew this wasn’t the last time he’d be coming to his little brother’s aid but despite all the heartache he wouldn’t have it any other way.

_After all, that’s what big brothers were for._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I went a little gif crazy again... I regret nothing except those tears...


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I do love nothing in the world so well as you - is that not strange?"

** Chapter Twenty Two **

Amelie knocked a little harder on Chase’s door and waited.

And waited.

_Still no answer._

She moved from foot to foot wondering what the hell to do now. For a second she considered texting Jess back and asking her but she had a damn good feeling she _knew_  what she’d say…

_Well get your ass in there and wake him up!_

That was where she’d have to draw the line. It was hard enough to be stood there now, looking desperate as all hell in the middle of the night! There was no way she was going to further embarrass herself by going, _unannounced_ , into a man’s bedroom tonight! _Or morning rather!_ It was probably nearly time to get up! She groaned at the thought, just knowing she was going to be good for nothing if she didn’t get at least a little bit of sleep soon.

She stood a moment longer, even resorting to leaning her ear gently against the door in case he was awake and just ignoring her, but there was silence. She huffed and reluctantly turned to head back to her room.

Closing the door behind her she walked over to her bed and slumped down, picking up her discarded cell. She unlocked it ready to text Jess back as promised and saw she already had an unread message.

 _Jeez Jess! At least give me a minute!_ She shook her head, a small smirk on her face.

Her smirk fell as she opened the message.

**03:27 Chase L: _Sorry it’s so late. You awake?_**

Amelie’s breathe caught as she read and reread the message.

 _What was he playing at though?_ If he was awake why the hell hadn’t he answered the door to her? Confused, she looked at the timestamp and then at the time on her phone. It was only a few minutes ago.

She quickly typed a message before immediately deleting it. Did she _really_  want to have this conversation over text? In theory it would be a lot less embarrassing, she had to admit. But she had to _see_ his face, however painful it could potentially be, to see the truth behind what had happened earlier.

**03:31 Amelie: _Yeah. Where are you?_**

She waited and his reply came back almost instantly. She looked at the screen and her hands began to tremble.

**03:32 Chase L: _I’m right outside? Can we talk?_**

Her heart began to pound in her chest as she got off the bed and tiptoed to her door. She took a deep breath before opening it a couple of inches and peering out into the darkened hallway. She couldn’t see anything for a moment but then a tall, imposing shadow appeared at her doorway.

“Hey” Chase whispered uneasily.

“Hi” she stuttered back, opening her door a little wider and taking a deep breath before asking “so you _were_ awake then?”

Chase’s face was now illuminated from the light cast out of her room from the nightlight. He looked perplexed, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Well… yeah. That’s why I sent you that message” He pulled his cap off and scratched his head before replacing it and looking down at his feet “Look, can we talk? I feel shit about before and I wanna clear the air if we can?”

“I’d like that” Amelie whispered “I haven’t been able to sleep, thinking on it…” she started, feeling her cheeks begin to colour as she relived the feeling of his lips on hers just a few precious hours ago.

_The very same lips which were now moving._

“Amelie… can we?” he asked, his face looking nervous and a little puzzled.

_Shit. Pay attention woman!_

“Hmm… yeah sure?” she answered hoping he had still been talking about how they needed to talk. Chase started to walk towards her and she instinctively put her hands out in a halting motion, in doing so connecting with his chest. He felt hot and sweaty to the touch. Like he’d been out jogging or something and she looked at him in confusion.

“What are you doing?” she stared up at him, her hands desperately wanting to move across his hard chest. Still, she resisted and reluctantly pulled away.

“Look, if I’m gonna come in and talk you’re gonna have to let me move” he smiled crookedly, trying to make a joke out of it. _Why the hell had she agreed he could come in if she wasn’t sure?_   But damn it if her hands didn’t feel good when she touched him. She sure as hell was throwing out all sorts of mixed signals right now.

_Still, could he blame her? After what he’d done earlier?_

“Would you rather we went downstairs? I mean, whatever you want? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable around me y’know..?” Chase waffled trying to fill the awkward silence with something… _anything_.

“No… sorry, it’s fine!” Amelie moved aside and ushered Chase into her room, quietly closing the door behind her. She inhaled deeply as he passed, both out of necessity but also out of a desire to fill her lungs with his heady scent. He smelt just like she'd always imagined a man should. When she turned he’d already moved to the other side of the room, towards her window and had pulled the drapes to one side.

“You got the same view as me, near enough” he noted quietly before closing them again. He loved the view from his window, the way the sunrise would light up the bayou below. For all the travelling he did there really was no place like Louisiana and in particular, home.

“It’s a real pretty view” she nodded and smiled as she admired the silhouette of his back muscles through his damp T shirt. She’d been right. He was hot. And _yes_ , the sight of his ass in those shorts was a real pretty view as well!  _Well dur!_   She snorted in laughter and had to cover her mouth as he turned and looked at her like she was mad. 

“Sorry… shit… sorry. I’m not good at all this…” Amelie mumbled, her cheeks reddening even more. Chase noticed it and moved a little closer. He stood on the other side of the bed to her, not wanting to intimidate her after earlier. But she sure as hell was acting a little strange and it disconcerted him. His rehearsed speech left him and he stood, just staring at her.

“Amelie… I…” _Fuck! Why was this so hard now she was stood in front of him?_ He wondered. And why must she look so damn sexy? _Jeez. It was like she knew his weakness for women wearing football shirts!_   Not that he could resist her in anything she wore… even in her fishing shirt and shapeless jeans. And that blush that was flooding her cheeks… well, he could just imagine her face as she… _Stop! This is exactly what got you in this damn mess!_

“Listen…” he took a deep breath “I wanna apologise again about before. I sure was wrong to come on to you like that and I promise it won’t happen again. I don’t know what came over me… well I _do_ but that sure ain’t….” 

“But I enjoyed it!” Amelie blurted, interrupting Chase’s apology.

“… no excuse… _wait_ … What did you just say?” Chase’s eyes bore into Amelie as her face became even redder. She wrung her hands and looked everywhere but at him.

_“Amelie..?”_

“I said… I _enjoyed_ it… Chase… _okay?_   I mean… yeah, it was a shock and all _but I liked it… a lot!”_ she yelled, both angry and confused.

Before she’d even finished he’d moved around the bed so that he now stood in front of her, looking down as she continued to fidget around nervously. She was now biting her lip, as she seemed to be caught in some internal struggle. Not knowing what to do or say, Chase tentatively held his large hands out to her much smaller ones and enveloped them with his own.

The small gesture stopped her fidgeting but she still avoided his gaze. This was all such unfamiliar territory and she groaned internally as he soothingly stroked her hands, his thumb tenderly caressing the gator bite scar as he patiently waited for her to look at him.

“You _liked_ it…” Chase repeated, stunned at the turn of events. He’d been ready to apologise and be sent on his way. _Never_ in his wildest dreams had he even dared hope for this response. But still, it unnerved him because he _knew_ he’d been out of order.

“Amelie… darlin’? Look at me” he spoke softly now, feeling an altogether different kind of nerves. Nervous excitement flooded his veins and he felt a little giddy.

Amelie looked up shyly, from under her eyelashes and was shocked to see how close he now was. She bit down harder on her lip as his intense stare connected with her own. Yet something was different from earlier. There was a warmth, a kindness and a sparkle now in those deep chocolate eyes of his and her mouth fell open, releasing her lip.

The thumb which had been so tenderly stroking her scar now moved up towards her face and ever so lightly swept along her cheek before resting on the spot where she’d been biting her lip. He used his thumb pad to trace the outline of her lips, whilst the rest of his hand cupped her cheek and an involuntary sigh escaped her mouth.

Embarrassed, she tried to back away but he tightened his clasp on her cheek infinitesimally and Amelie relaxed into his hand once more.

“So… you like this too?” he purred, his voice deep as he stared into her aquamarine eyes, savouring the way her pupils had dilated as she now held his gaze.

She nodded, unable, _and unwilling_ , to form words in case he stopped his ministrations on her lips. Another breathy sigh escaped as he leant his head down to her ear and whispered into her ear “I am really… truly… sorry if I scared you earlier Amelie. Please forgive me…” With that, he placed feather light kisses along the shell of her ear. She shuddered with pleasure as heat flooded to her groin.

Amelie opened her mouth to tell him it was okay, that she forgave him… not that she really even cared at that minute if he’d come on strong or not, so transfixed was she in the movement of his lips against her ear and the caress of his thumb on her own lips. Yet as she opened her mouth, no words came forth save for a low moan as Chase’s thumb slid down, dragging with it her lower lip. Her now liberated hand looked for something to support her as her knees began to shake and she clutched onto the first thing she found, his tattoed bicep. She gripped it whilst her tongue blindly sought out his thumb. As she tentatively licked along the top of his thick digit he let out a guttural groan of pleasure into her ear and she damn well thought she might just collapse.

“ _Fuck_! You have no idea what you do to me woman!” Chase groaned again as his lips now trailed down to her neck and he breathed her in. She smelt like vanilla and something spicy and he could feel his cock hardening as he continued to nuzzle her neck. Her breathing was becoming ragged and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to just grab her and throw her down on the bed. But he already knew he wanted to do this right.  He wanted to take his time with her and he could already see the dawn light start to filter through the drapes out of the corner of his eye.

 _Plus they still needed to talk about that incident in the living room last night._ At the memory he pulled away abruptly, causing Amelie to look at him in shock.

“Did I do something wrong?” she whispered, her eyes now full of concern. His heart damn near broke anew. He was surprised to see this side of Amelie. She was so feisty in the boat and so full of herself when they argued but here she stood looking lost and vulnerable and he had to stop himself from just wrapping her in his strong arms and kissing away all her fears.

“God no… _fuck_ … that was… Amelie you have _no_ idea how long I’ve wanted to do this…” Chase struggled to find the right words to explain how much he’d wanted it “but we need to talk. We need to clear the air first… that is, before we… before _this_ goes any further…”

_Jeez. He’d lost all fucking ability to form a complete sentence!_

“I guess…” she mumbled, still looking unsure of herself. He couldn’t help himself then. He drew her into him in a tight embrace, breathing her in again and trying to maintain his focus despite the way his cock was insistently pressing against his shorts. Reluctantly he pulled away once more and sat down on the edge of her bed, covering the ominous bulge with an arm as he looked up at her. He pulled Amelie towards him, so that she stood between his open thighs and having now adjusted himself held out both his hands to hers, entwining his fingers with hers. He looked up at her and sighed.  

 _It would be so easy to just pull her down on top of him and carry on where they’d left off._ But when had he ever gone the easy route? Instead, he smiled up at her before speaking.

“You should know I haven’t stopped thinkin’ about you since that day on the boat when you got bit" they both shuddered at the memory and Chase instantly felt bad for reminding her of such a scary day. “I’m sorry… and I’m sorry I was such a goddamn ass to you as well. No excuses but you were drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy. I could hardly bear to even look at you!”

Amelie frowned at that confession and Chase laughed as he attempted to explain himself “ _shit_ … no that came out wrong! I meant because I just wanted to fuckin’ grab you and kiss you so damn hard. I wanted to bite that fuckin’ lip of yours and…” he had to stop himself as thoughts of dragging her on top of him flashed back into his mind “Jesus… I guess what I’m _tryin’_ to say is that I’m a fuckin’ hot mess around you and I _need_ to be sure you feel the same..? What's going on with that... dick from the crew” he mumbled, suddenly unsure of himself. _He’d never been that open about his feeling with any girl before, much less with one he wasn’t even seeing officially!_

Amelie watched as Chase went from Mr Confident to looking like a vulnerable child in just a few seconds and her heart melted. Surprising herself with her audacity, she leant over and gently kissed him on the lips, savouring the taste of him in those brief seconds before pulling back and whispering “There is absolutely nothing going on with me and that dick... _i promise you_. Because I feel _exactly_ the same Chase Landry!”

The look of surprise on his face made Amelie grin from ear to ear but then the frown reappeared as she realised _she_ still needed to be completely honest with _him_ too.

“But I have to tell you somethings first…” she muttered, now the one becoming fidgety as the grin disappeared and her own face was wracked with insecurities.

“Anything baby… you can tell me anything” Chase spoke soothingly but he felt a chill grip his chest as he wondered what had cast such a shadow so suddenly over her pretty face.

She sighed, and moved so that she was sat alongside him. He turned towards her, watching her anxiously but she couldn’t look at him and instead picked at her nails, scraping imaginary dirt from each one. The silence was deafening and Chase could almost hear the sound of both their heartbeats. He began to think of all the possible scenarios that she could be about to tell him. She had a boyfriend. She _was_ having a fling with that prick from the camera crew. She was sick. She had a husband back in Iceland even. _Ridiculous as it sounded, his brain was growing restless and this was the result!_   “Amelie whatever it is… _please_ … you can tell me” he coaxed, the tension killing him.

“Okay… but before I do, you got to promise me something… don’t judge me… _please_ ” she sighed and glanced up at him, tears now forming in her eyes.

Chase’s jaw tensed as he wondered what the fuck she was going to tell him but nodded “I promise”.

“Okay listen... so… last night… when you grabbed me…” she whispered “well… nobody’s ever done that before and…”

“Shit! I know… I’m so fuckin’ sorry Amelie! Did I scare you, be honest with me? Please…” Chase interrupted, pleading with her, his heart breaking as he saw tears begin to cascade down her cheeks. He moved to pull her to him but she shrank away and he frowned, his jaw set as he felt a chasm suddenly open between them.

“Chase please… I need to just get this out… you can ask me _anything_ afterwards I promise but can I please just say what I need to say?” she pleaded.

“Sorry…” he muttered as his jaw continued to tick anxiously.

“So when I said nobody’s ever done that before…” she whispered before sniffing back the tears “I meant Chase that _NOBODY_   has ever done _anything_ with me before…and I do mean _NOTHING_ , because I’ve never been good enough for _anyone. Until you_ … and my God, you talking about wanting me? Well I’ve wanted you just as much” she exhaled slowly then as the full extent of what she’d revealed to him finally hit her. The tears fell afresh as years of pent up frustration and pain were unleashed and she sobbed uncontrollably.

Chase sat confused, trying to make any kind of sense of what she’d just revealed to him.

 _Amelie. Sweet, bright, intelligent, sexy as sin and dazzlingly beautiful Amelie,_ this little package of perfection sat next to him? She’d never been _kissed_? _Dated_? _Touched even_? _Fuck! How the hell was that even possible?_ And then it dawned on him… _And that of course meant she was a…_

“You’re a virgin?” he choked out, incredulous that this unbelievable woman had never been shown the kind of pleasures he was so desperate to share with her. She sat, wringing her hands again silently and he grabbed them once more and moved so that he was now knelt before her on the floor.

“Amelie… baby… look at me darlin’ ” he murmured “please…” She looked at him, her eyes red as tears continued to fall and his heart broke again “you listen to me and listen good, I don’t ever want to hear you say you’re not good enough for anyone… you hear me?”

She sniffed but didn’t answer. “Amelie? Listen to me… _please._ You are incredible! Don’t you _ever_ put yourself down like that again, you hear me? Any man… _this man knelt right in front of you_ , would be lucky to be with you… _in any way you wanted_ ”

She looked at him and nodded weakly. But he wasn’t going to let her off with that. _He needed her to say it, to mean it. To own it._

“Say it… for me… for you… _for us_ … please” he pressed.

“I am good enough” she finally whispered, a small sparkle coming into her eyes as she watched Chase’s face break out into a huge grin before he responded “Yes ma’am you fuckin’ are!” he winked. He pulled her up off the bed and wrapped his arms around her, whispering into her ear “we’ll make this work, you and I… if that’s what you want of course?”

“Oh God it is Chase… it is” she whimpered into his chest, knowing for the first time what it truly felt like to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I didn't kill you!  
> Quote is from Much ado about Nothing in case you guys are interested <3


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

** Chapter Twenty Three **

The morning came soon enough, yet when Chase’s alarm went off at 7:30am he bounded out of bed just as if he’d had a good twelve hours sleep. Despite being woken from a particularly graphic dream involving Amelie dressed in only an LSU shirt whilst she sucked on his thumb, he danced his way to the bathroom, smiling like the proverbial Cheshire cat. He turned on the shower and while he waited for it to heat up he grabbed his cell phone and sent Amelie a message.

**07:33 _Mornin’ gorgeous! Hope you slept well?  ;)_** **_See you downstairs in 20? x_ **

As he pressed send he wondered if it read a little too casual but it was too late to worry about that now. He jumped into the shower, allowing the steaming water to loosen the tight muscles in his neck which had settled overnight from a combination of hard work and repressed stress. As he did so he sang along to O _tis Reading’s Hard to Handle_.

_“Take my hand, don't be afraid_  
I wanna prove every word I say  
I'm advertisin' love for free  
So, you can place your ad with me  
  
Once it come along a dime by the dozen  
That ain't nothin' but ten cent lovin'  
Hey little thing, let me light your candle  
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, yessir'am”

He lathered away the sticky sweat from his body, lingering momentarily over his hard cock, throbbing from the dream he’d woken from, before realising it wasn’t totally a dream and it actually _did_ happen. _Well, all but the part where she'd stripped off..._ He started to tug at it but then stopped himself.

_What was it they said?_ The best things come to those who wait…

_Well, he knew for certain he was gonna come hard when his wait was finally over!_ He snorted with laughter to himself at his pathetic attempt at a joke and stepped out of the shower, quickly wrapping a towel around his waist and praying his erection would disappear, _and soon_.

Meanwhile, Amelie had woken up in not quite as perky a mood. Dragging herself to the bathroom she stripped off and showered, hoping the hot water would wake her up. She was tired as anything and felt slightly nauseous. Last night had been a real rollercoaster of emotions for her. She had been grinning from ear to ear after Chase had, _very reluctantly,_ said goodnight… or rather good morning (it having been a little before 5am when they’d finally said their farewells). They’d held each other for the longest time after her revelation but then the cold reality hit them that they had to be up for work in just a few short hours.

Chase hadn’t wanted to leave her, but she’d insisted, petrified that either Troy or Bernita would see him leaving her room. It was far, far too early days for her to deal with watchful eyes and she’d said as much to Chase, explaining that this was all so completely new to her that she needed some time to get comfortable with being around a man, _with Chase,_ in this way. He’d frowned at first but then kissed her forehead and leant his chin on her head, enveloping her face against his thick chest as she breathed him in. They’d stayed like that for a while before he’d sighed deeply and reluctantly broke free, looking down at her with those dark eyes that were once again flashing with something dangerous and she knew it was time to say goodnight, lest she succumb right then and there.

“Baby… I’ll wait as long as you need me to. You just say the word” he’d whispered as he’d nipped at her ear and it had taken all her willpower not to just say to hell with the consequences!

As it was, she’d packed him off to bed, smacking that delicious ass of his as she pushed him out of her door. He’d arched his eyebrow at her for that before winking and she’d felt the burning heat rise in her cheeks as she reluctantly closed the door and bit down hard on her lip.

Her legs had been like jelly as she’d climbed into bed and a million and one questions had begun to race through her mind.

_What did he see in her?_  

She knew she could be a pain in the ass. _Even her mama told her that!_ She could be wilful, argumentative and downright unpleasant if the mood took her. _Having said that, so could Chase!_ Amelie couldn’t help but wonder if it was a good or bad thing to have so many traits in common, and worried her lip.

_What if he was just looking to score with her?_

She still vividly remembered how full of himself he’d been around her in the club all those years ago… yet somehow the lurid image that had so disgusted her back then wasn’t having quite the same effect on her after tonight. He mind drifted as she imagined him using that tongue to… _No! Jeez…_ Amelie already knew she was going to have to keep her wits about her around Chase Landry. However sweet he’d been to her this evening, she wasn’t just going to fall at his feet, no matter what the aching in her pussy was telling her to do! And besides, what if she was just plain _awful_ at _IT?_

_W_ _ould he have the patience or even the interest to bring out the best in her?_

She shook her head.  _Damn it._ She felt like such a pathetic fool. 

She dressed quickly, combing through her wet hair. She didn’t have the patience to dry it this morning so she figured she’d let it hang loose while she ate breakfast. She scooped up her cell and saw the notification. Opening it, her tummy flipped as she read the message and a faint blush rose over her cheeks.

_Oh God, he was so sweet!_

It was hard to reconcile _this_ Chase with the ass who had stood her up at the garage that first day, much less the hot blooded, passionate Chase that had claimed her mouth so thoroughly last night. He confused her and intrigued her in equal measures. Still, she tried to put all the negative thoughts out of her head and allowed herself to grin from ear to ear for a moment that _anyone_ , no… not just anyone… but _Chase Landry,_ had called _her_ gorgeous!

At the last moment she headed back to her dresser and applied some mascara, a tiny bit of lip gloss and a spritz of perfume. _Well. If she was to be labelled as such, she’d better start working on it!_

_***_

Chase was in the kitchen, hovering over Bernita impatiently as she cooked his pancakes. He’d surprised her when she’d asked if he wanted her to fix him something, knowing he usually didn’t bother much with breakfast. She was always complaining about the candy bars he’d rely on for his morning sustenance and so she’d jumped at the opportunity to feed him something a little more wholesome.

And the truth was, he was ravenous this morning. He’d sure worked up an appetite stressing last night… _amongst other things._

He heard a sound out in the hallway and nervously smoothed down his T shirt. He turned to find it was just his dad and let out a small sigh of disappointment.

“Mornin’ son” Troy beamed at his youngest, wondering what in hell had gotten into him. He was always the last one downstairs, rarely eating breakfast and here he stood, watching Bernita like a hawk as she flipped the pancakes! He had no idea what was going on but if there was the remotest possibility that he might be in a better mood than he’d been the last few weeks Troy would happily take it, no questions asked.

“Thanks mama” he leant over and pecked Bernita on the cheek as she scooped a pile onto his eagerly held plate.

“Hey Pa!” Chase grinned as he sat down at the table and started shovelling mouthfuls of the delicious pancakes into his mouth.

_Oh God, he’d forgotten how good they were_. He might just have to do this more often, he thought as he greedily filled his mouth with another forkful. As he did so, Amelie appeared at the doorway, looking nervously around the room. _Nervous yet hot as hell!_ He thought as he involuntarily breathed in and almost choked on a piece of pancake.   

Amelie caught Chase’s eye as he sat spluttering, his eyes watering and his face red. She almost went across to pat him on the back but had to stop herself. _Yesterday’s Amelie wouldn’t have even looked at him, would she?_ If they were to do this properly, she’d have to play it cool. Well, as cool as a woman could get around someone as ridiculously sexy as Chase!

“Morning” she smiled at Troy, who was fixing himself a coffee. He greeted her warmly before turning his back away from her and she took the opportunity to sneak a sideways glance at Chase who was watching her intently as she walked across to Bernita. She gave him a shy smile and he winked at her, making her heart flutter. Her hands were shaking as she collected her own plate of pancakes and Bernita noticed.

“Morning sweetheart! Hey, you sure you’re up to going out today? You’re shakin’ like a leaf? Look Troy…” Bernita called her husband over.

Troy picked up his mug of coffee and looked in concern at her trembling hands and her pale face, then raised his eyebrows “Now Miss Amelie I hope you’d be tellin’ us if you were strugglin’ an all?” he asked pointedly.

From the table, Chase watched on in a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

_Poor Amelie!_ There was nothing worse than getting the third degree from his parents. _He knew that only too well._

“I’m sure she’s just fine, ain’t you Amelie?” Chase piped up, making Amelie jump and nearly drop her plate.

“I am. Just a little tired is all… it was a late night last night” she tried to calm herself and smiled at Troy and Bernita before turning and glaring at Chase.

He was grinning from ear to ear as he watched her approach the table.

“Here, sit yourself down and get a little rest Amelie, we’ve got a  _long_  day ahead of us after all” Chase patted the seat next to him as he batted his ridiculously thick eyelashes at her. When he raised a cheeky eyebrow daring her to say something she wanted to punch him. She was all set to ignore him but Troy and Bernita had already moved to sit opposite their son, leaving the seat next to him the only choice unless she sat at the other end of the table. Knowing that would just draw even more attention she reluctantly placed her plate down alongside Chase’s and sat with a low huff.

She could feel Chase’s eyes on her as she lifted the first forkful of food to her mouth and self-consciously bit into the fluffy pancakes.

“Mmm… these are delicious!” she smiled despite herself at Bernita, taking another mouthful.

“So, you two. This is a mighty nice change… having you both up and ready at the same time!” Troy laughed “I hope this means you both are gonna make the most of your last week huntin’ together? We still have a lot of tags to fill y’know?”

“Absolutely Pa!” Chase nodded, one eye still on Amelie as she licked the syrup from her lips. He had to hold in a groan and looked away quickly, as his dad’s words began to register. There was now only a maximum of eight more days left of hunting season. Which also meant a maximum of eight more days in the boat with Amelie. _What would happen after that?_ His heart sank at the prospect of them potentially being separated.

_He’d better start thinking on a plan…_  

But for now he contented himself with just being close to her. He let his legs fall wide open so that his left thigh pressed against Amelie’s right thigh and breathed in deeply, a smug smile on his face as he idly watched her squirm in her seat. He had a feeling she’d make him pay for that later but he sure as hell wasn’t about to let anything _or anyone_ put a downer on his day today, that was for sure!

Soon after it was time to leave and they quickly cleared their dishes away, said their goodbyes and then Amelie and Chase headed out to Chase’s truck.

They climbed in, no words being spoken until they were clear of the house and then Amelie looked across at Chase.

“Stop the truck” she insisted.

“What’s the matter?” Chase raised an eyebrow at her tone but from the corner of his eye he could see she wasn’t happy about something and frowned. He pulled up at the side of the road and turned towards her.

“If this is about earlier I’m sorry!” he grinned “but you just looked so freakin’ adorable and I couldn’t help myself”

_There he goes again with his damn compliments,_ Amelie huffed to herself.

“Chase, listen, please… I meant what I said last night and I was so damn uncomfortable this morning!” she cringed as she recalled nearly dropping the plate “can you please just _try_ to be a bit less obvious? At least until we figure out _what the hell_ this is between us? _Please_ … for me?”

“Well I thought we already had?” her words stung a little and he had to bite back a sarcastic comment. Instead he nodded, and sighed. She was obviously really struggling with this. It bothered him a little but he reminded himself he’d vowed not to let anything get him down today.

“I guess I’ll just follow your lead for now then…” he shrugged and forced a smile back onto his face.

Amelie watched him as he started up the engine, all hint of playfulness now gone and sighed. _Well she fucked that up good and proper!_ What exactly was she even asking of him?

_And why had she been so cold?_

Impulsively she reached her hand out and placed it tentatively on his thigh and stroked it soothingly, her small hand barely covering him.

“I’m sorry. This is just weird for me…” her voice trailed off, not knowing how to explain all the feelings that were spinning around inside her head.

Chase was surprised but pleased that she had made the first move and placed his own hand over her own and squeezed. He glanced across at her and was relieved to see a small smile begin to light up her features and he smiled back at her. He noticed a drop of syrup glistening on her chin and hastily pulled the truck back over, before leaning across and kissing her. She gasped but didn’t pull back and he moved a little closer, close enough that he could devour her lips properly. She tasted sweet from the syrup and he groaned into her mouth before trailing his tongue lower and licking the errant drop of syrup away.

Amelie pawed at his chest, moaning appreciatively as he made her feel dizzy with desire. _But damn it, this couldn’t happen now._ They had a full day of hunting ahead of them and they had to be focused. Troy was right about that.

Reluctantly she pulled away, and looked him in the eye “Okay, Chase Landry. We are gonna have to come up with a plan and darn fast because I can’t concentrate when you do stuff like that…” she shivered a little at the thought.

“Well _you_ could _try_ not looking so fuckin’ sexy! Then I might just about stand a chance!” he laughed before turning serious “but yeah… I know, I know… you’re right. I’m gonna just have to play it cool… so don’t get upset with me if I’m a little of with you while we’re out on the boat yeah?” he sighed “after all, we’ll have cameras watchin’ us an’ everything”

Amelie bit her lip and nodded.

“And you _cannot_ be doin’ that with your lip!” he huffed “that does bad things to me…”

She looked at him curiously and raised an eyebrow “ _Really..?”_

“ _Really!_ Bad… _bad_ things Amelie!” he smirked filthily and she damn well nearly fainted as she saw the dark look in his eyes.

Dear Lord, this was going to be harder than she ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry... I'm not at all happy with this chapter :(


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I regret NOTHING! Except maybe not putting even more gifs in! :D Enjoy!

** Chapter Twenty Four **

It was a long, arduous day out on the swamp, not helped in the slightest by the barely concealed sexual tension in the boat. The morning had started well enough. They’d set off, just the two of them in the boat and Chase had been buoyant, excited both for a day out on the swamp and for his turn of fortune with Amelie.

He sat guiding the boat with a grin from ear to ear, laughing and whooping as they picked up speed. Amelie couldn’t help but laugh back as she watched him. He was like a big child and his excitement was infectious. They chatted animatedly and all their earlier worries and awkwardness lifted. Chase slowed as they navigated a narrow stretch of the bayou and Amelie took the opportunity to take a quick photo of him on her cell.

 

She smiled at the image and Chase beckoned her to him so he could see. She moved along the boat, smiling as she held her phone out towards him “Hey!” he cocked an eyebrow and frowned “you coulda’ warned me! I’d have put on my sexy face!” he laughed teasingly.

Amelie snorted with laughter as she looked from Chase who was now pouting like one of those crazy ass women with their dumb duck faces to the photo she had taken. _No_. _However funny he was being now, she’d happily take the Chase in the photo any day!_ She said as much and his eyebrow cocked once more.

“I sure hope you _will_ take me _any day_!” he smirked and she felt her cheeks blush as she realised what he was implying.

“Chase Landry! You are incorrigible!” she frowned but there was laughter behind her voice and a twinkle in her eyes. She could feel that tingling sensation once more and she had to look away. _Damn it if this man couldn’t turn even the most innocent of moments into a sexually charged one!_

“So anyways…” he grinned at her, enjoying how he made her blush just with a few words. _It was damn sexy as hell!_ “I was thinkin’ it might be kind of nice for us to maybe go out somewhere tonight… y’know? Get away from the house for a couple of hours?”

Chase watched her face as the blush deepened and she turned back and stared at him in surprise. She bit her lip and he narrowed her eyes at her and groaned. _Jeez! If he didn’t know better he’d think she was doing that on purpose!_

“Erm… well… I guess it would be nice…but… I’m not sure I’m quite ready for… erm… _that_ yet” She said uncertainly as she fumbled with her phone, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

Chase stopped the boat and she looked up from her phone to find he’d already crossed the short distance to where she stood.

“Let me make this clear Amelie…” Chase tipped her chin up with his index finger so that she had to look at him.

Their eyes connected and he smiled down at her, the bags under his eyes from lack of sleep not doing anything to make him even remotely less attractive. “Mmm” she muttered as she began to lose herself in his smouldering eyes, lip firmly back in mouth.

“…I wanna get to know you first… and I mean _really_ get to know you. _Every inch of you_ ” he licked his lips before continuing “I wanna know what your hopes and dreams are… so I can _hopefully_ be part of ‘em too. And I wanna know what your _fears_ are too… so that I can take ‘em all away, _there is no hopin’ there by the way…_ I wanna protect you _and I will!_ You scared the everlovin’ crap outta me on this goddamn boat not three weeks ago and I want you to know I will do _everything_ in my power not to let _anything_ or _anyone_ hurt you like that again… and that includes _me_ Amelie… Then, _and only when you tell me you’re ready_ will we take the next step…”

Amelie felt her knees go weak as his lips then connected with hers and she had to grab hold of his arms to stop herself from falling. When they finally came up for air she tried to make out that it was the motion of the boat that was making her unsteady but honestly, she wasn’t fooling either of them.

Chase grinned at her as she stared up at him.

“What?” he questioned, his eyes bright with amusement as she tried to gather her wits.

“You are going to be the death of me Chase Landry!” she groaned but he just winked at her as he reluctantly pulled away and started up the engine.

“I meant every damn word I said though darlin’!” he nodded slowly “so you best be thinkin’ on that…” He grinned as he revved the engine.

_And she sure was._ As Amelie sat looking out over the bayou as they raced to their meeting point, she couldn’t help but steal the odd glance at Chase out of the corner of her eye. _How was it that he’d become so damn important to her in such a short space of time?_ It troubled her a little as she worried what would happen when the season came to a close. She already knew from Troy and Bernita that he often worked away.

What would he do _this_ year? Would he stay in Pierre Part or head off to some far more exotic destination? And if he _did_ leave what would happen to _them_? She cursed herself then. She’d been in a relationship with him, _if you could even call it that at this early stage_ , for a matter of mere hours and she was already worrying about him leaving…

Little did she know that Chase was stood thinking exactly the same thing.

 _He was no fool._ He knew she was an amazing catch, regardless of whether anyone else had thought so previously. _That puzzled him though._ He figured every man in Iceland must be deaf, dumb, blind and freaking stupid! He had to stifle a laugh at the thought.

But seriously, how on earth had someone so incredible _never_ had a boyfriend? _Even more unbelievable… how had she never even been kissed before? Fuck!_ He wanted to kiss her all day. He _would_ if he could. She had the most incredibly soft plump lips. He stared at them whenever she wasn’t looking and imagined them doing all sorts of filthy things.

_He knew he was a bad, bad man but she was like a drug to him!_

He tensed his jaw as he wondered what her plans were for the end of the season. They’d never talked about it. _Well, of course they hadn’t because up until last night they’d barely even had a civil conversation, much less a personal one!_

He intended to rectify that this evening. He thought, _if she was okay with it,_ that maybe they’d go over to Jacob and Lyndsi’s. He figured she wouldn’t feel under so much pressure that way and hopefully it wouldn’t look quite so obvious to his parents. Plus Jacob had mentioned that Lyndsi liked Amelie a lot. Chase kicked himself for all the valuable time he’d lost by trying to hate her. Still, whatever her plans were long term, he’d already decided he’d not be making any trips away unless they were work related. He sighed as he wondered what his Pa would have signed him up for. In all honestly, he loved meeting the fans but he also loved nothing better than coming home. _And if he had Amelie to come home to now… well, that would just be the icing on the cake!_

Amelie and Chase soon reached the Eastern point of Lake Verret and were greeted by the film crew.

The happy mood inside the boat dissipated instantly as the memory of Rick _the prick_ trying it on with Amelie in _his_ house was pushed back into the forefront of Chase’s mind. He frowned and watched the guy as he cockily waved and greeted first Amelie and then himself. Chase bit his tongue, grunting a half-hearted greeting and watched Amelie’s reaction. She already looked deeply uncomfortable and he immediately felt the anger bubbling to the surface once more.

Chase swore if he laid even one finger on her today he’d have Rick the fucking prick in the swamp faster than his pa could shout Choot’em!

They set about their course and it became quickly apparent that Rick really had no clue just how unwelcome his advances towards Amelie were. At practically every line, he’d make some comment or other about her, suggesting she bend a little this way or turn a little that way, usually just as they started to film and more often than not the manoeuvre would result in Amelie pointing her ass or her chest to camera. She seemed oblivious to this yet looked mortified, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration on her face that he kept pestering her. With the cameras rolling Chase couldn’t say a damn thing and he was slowly beginning to seethe. Amelie barely looked at him throughout and spoke less and less as the day wore on. He assumed it was because of their agreement not to draw any attention to their burgeoning relationship but it just added to his pissed off mood.

It came to a head when they came upon a huge alligator on the last line of the day. As Chase moved alongside Amelie he looked around, and confident that no eyes were on the pair of them he quickly whispered “you okay?” The tears started to rise in her eyes and he clenched his fists in anger that she was suffering and he couldn’t comfort her. The best he could manage was a whispered “hang in there baby” before Rick was at it again.

“Okay everyone… we’re ready whenever you are… oh wait, Amelie love” Rick walked across the camera crew’s boat so he was alongside her and stretched out along the deck. He angled his lens upwards out across the swamp so that it was pointed up towards Amelie before looking into the viewfinder and smirking. Joe, frustrated with his colleague told Chase and Amelie to go ahead whenever they were ready and the pair set about reeling in the gator.

Chase had the line taught as Amelie tried to get a clean shot on the gator but out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Rick as he lecherously positioned the lens up Amelie’s loose shirt.

All hopes of catching that final gator went up in smoke as Chase dropped the line and kicked the camera out of Rick’s hand.

“What… the… fuck?!”  Joe and Mitch yelled in unison as Rick scrambled to stop the camera from falling into the water.

“Turn off the fucking camera’s now!” Chase yelled as he clambered over into the other boat. Amelie watched in confusion, her face anxious as she watched the veins in Chase’s neck pulse. _I_ _t was at turns unsettling and maddeningly hot!_

Having now recovered his camera, Rick had now stood nose to nose with Chase. They eyeballed each other and it took Joe and Mitch holding them back from one another to stop a full blown fight from erupting on the small boat.

“Will somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?!” Mitch yelled, looking from Chase to Rick and back again.

“Oh… I’ll tell you what the fuck is going on!” Chase hissed, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles were turning white “This fuckin' pervert here…” he nodded his head at Rick “was tryin' to film up Amelie’s fuckin' shirt!!”

Amelie looked aghast and wrapped her arms around her chest self-consciously. She could feel the tears that she’d valiantly held in all afternoon begin to fall and wiped furiously at them.

 _No. She was not going to give that pathetic excuse of man the satisfaction_. 

Instead she stood watching _her man,_ as he furiously defended her honour.

Meanwhile, Rick was muttering excuses but from the faces that Joe and Mitch were pulling at each other, they weren’t buying his bullshit any more than Chase or Amelie were.

“I told you he’s been acting weird this week around her!” Mitch yelled at Joe. He looked across onto the other boat at Amelie and frowned. “Amelie, I am so sorry you were put in this situation. Are you okay?”

She shuddered involuntarily but nodded, worrying her lip as she avoided both Rick and Chase’s eyes as they watched her.

“Chase dude… it might be best if you go back over onto your boat and cool down yeah?” Joe coaxed and Chase reluctantly moved over towards his own boat, never taking his eye off Rick.

“Amelie…Chase… You have our word nothing like this will happen again” Mitch tried to placate them both but Chase was absolutely fuming. He turned and pointed his finger angrily from Rick to Mitch and back again.

“Oh I know it won’t be happenin’ again ‘cos if I so much as lay eyes on that fuckin’ asshole…” he pointed to Rick “ _ever_ again… so help me I will drop kick him in the friggin’ swamp and the gators can have him for supper!”

Mitch raised his eyebrows but nodded slowly. He gave him his word, much to Rick’s chagrin. Yet he at least had the good sense to keep his mouth shut as Joe and Mitch started to pack up, giving him dirty looks all the while.

Amelie watched on in amazement at Chase’s angry exchange. Despite her humiliation, she suddenly felt a huge sense of relief. _Chase had got rid of the creep!_ She let out a long held in sigh and watched as he stood over the engine, trying to compose himself. He was breathing deeply but she could see he was still angry. His jaw was ticking more than she’d ever seen it before and the veins in his arms were still pulsating.

_God help her but he honestly couldn’t have looked any hotter to her at that moment!_

Without giving it another thought, she walked straight over to him, stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips squarely on his, much to both _his_ , _and the film crews_ shock. Chase looked into her eyes, in disbelief, but saw only raw passion gleaming in her eyes. He responded greedily, biting her lip and enveloping her into his strong arms.

_It was fair to say the cat was well and truly out the bag now!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's riding on in on that unicorn.... ;)


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

** Chapter Twenty Five **

 

Somehow, the news of the events in the boat, at least _some_ of the events, had gotten back to Pierre Part even before they had. There was no prizes for guessing who might have been responsible, however proving it was damn near impossible, seeing as the moment they’d hit land Joe and Mitch had locked him in their truck.

The pair were, by all accounts worried that Chase would go for Rick once again, and said as much to Amelie as they’d whisked him away into the back of the truck. But what neither Amelie nor Chase knew was that in reality, they were more concerned about Chase getting kicked off the show. _And they weren’t about to let that happen._ They liked him a lot. He was a hard worker, honest and charming, if occasionally prone to some angry outbursts, but at least he made great TV.

And now, with the pretty Amelie and a burgeoning romance on the cards, they knew they’d truly struck lucky. There was no way they were going to let TV gold get screwed up because of their, _soon to be ex_ , colleague goading Chase into a fight.

So, they’d promised they wouldn’t pry into the budding relationship, much to Amelie’s relief, although they would of course still be filming. Nor would they say anything about the kiss. They’d also made it clear that Rick would not be going back in the boat under any circumstances.

All had seemed well then, as they’d driven to Duffy’s to process the days haul. Amelie and Chase held hands in the truck and Chase had been grinning happily to himself but as he pulled up to the rear of the service station he could see his dad and Pop deep in conversation. His dad looked furious. Duffy looked like he was trying to placate him but Troy seemed to be having none of it.

Chase reluctantly released Amelie’s hand and sighed as he stepped out into the late afternoon humidity. He walked straight up to the two older men, figuring the sooner he got it over with the better.

“And here he is!” Troy’s voice rang out, agitation barely concealed as he frowned at Chase “so what’ve you got to say for yourself this time then boy?”

Chase shrugged his shoulders, confused and a little agitated. He hated it when his Pa called him boy. _He was nearly twenty seven for Gods sake!_

He assumed his Pa knew about the incident with the camera but he couldn’t fathom why he was angry with _him_?

However, as he explained it soon became apparent that Troy’s source hadn’t told him the _full_ story and his dad quickly became apologetic. As the four of them stood over the boat, admiring the day’s catch of alligators, Troy had looked across at his son with respect in his eyes.

“Son… I’m proud of you! It’s nice to see I’ve taught you boys somethin’ about respect” he’d grinned “and Miss Amelie here… I hope you weren’t too shook up by it all?” he turned to face her and looked concerned. Amelie smiled back and shook her head “Oh i’m fine… I’m just glad I had Chase here to look out for me…” she winked at Chase before realising what she’d done. She blushed and it didn’t go unnoticed by Duffy who was stood opposite her.

Chase grinned and winked back at her but tried to act nonchalant “It was nothing. I’d have done exactly the same for anyone else. That dude was a jerk!”

“Yeah but Chase Michael… you’re kind of wild sometimes!” Duffy had noted, a smirk on his face as he teased his grandson.

Chase laughed but his eyes glanced self-consciously at Amelie from across the boat, hoping she wouldn’t be put off by his pop’s tales. He needn’t have worried. She was smiling warmly as Duffy recounted several embarrassing stories from Chase’s childhood.

“I guess we _should_ be lucky you _didn’t_ throw him in the swamp… we might’ve ended up looking at a lawsuit!” Troy laughed finally, but there was a note of caution in his words, knowing how hot headed his youngest son could be.

“Probably!” Chase laughed “Anyways, we’d better be getting these gators inside” he’d noted, looking at the clock and realising he was wasting valuable time he could be spending with Amelie.

“Well… I’m very proud of y’all. Very proud!” Duffy had looked his grandson in the eye “Good job Buddy!” Chase just nodded, feeling pride overwhelm him. He loved his Pop dearly. Duffy had a strong moral code just like his own Pa, and he didn’t suffer fools gladly so for him to have said those words to him was rich praise indeed.

Later that evening, Chase joined Troy, Bernita and Amelie for supper, much to his parent’s disbelief. They’d feasted on some of Troy’s legendary deer spaghetti and they were all stuffed.

As planned, Amelie had mentioned that Lyndsi had invited her over after dinner and Bernita had been pleased, declaring it a lovely idea. She had really warmed to Amelie over the last week or so. She was a sweet girl, if a little timid still around them but she knew Lyndsi was lonely for girlfriends nearer her age around Pierre Part and Bernita thought Amelie could well do with one herself. She had, of course tried to be there for her, but it wasn’t the same as someone younger, she knew that. She was more of a surrogate mom than anything, and that suited her just fine.

Chase had sat, munching away on his spaghetti before he casually asked what time she was going over there. He’d then made up some cock and bull story about having to go and see Jacob himself and offered to give her a lift, much to Troy and Bernita’s surprise.

They’d both played their parts well. _Or so they’d thought._

As they’d driven off down the driveway, Bernita had looked at Troy and Troy had looked at Bernita as they sat out on the porch, and without a single word needing to be spoken they’d raised their eyebrows and grinned at each other, remembering those heady days of clandestine love.

Chase had already told Jacob about his change of fortune with Amelie. Jacob was shocked to say the least at the fast turn of events but still pleased for his brother. It was a huge relief to see him so happy after the way he’d left him just that morning. And as he’d watched the pair interact with Ridge he’d turned to Lyndsi, eyebrows raised and accepted that _once again_ , his wife had got it right!

_He just hoped this might be the woman to finally tame his wild younger brother._

Once the children were in bed they’d all settled down to watch a movie together. Chase and Amelie had settled next to each other on one sofa and Jacob and Lyndsi on the other. Lyndsi barely watched the movie, choosing instead to watch the other couple out of the corner of her eye. And they really _were_ adorable to watch. At first they’d sat, quite formally. But as the movie had progressed Chase had tentatively slung his arm over the back of the sofa before sliding it down to rest lightly on Amelie’s shoulder. She’d jumped at first but had eventually relaxed into him and lightly rested her head against his shoulder.

Lyndsi had nudged her husband and they’d shared a smile. The truth was, Chase and Amelie were a cute couple. They’d take little glances at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking and their fingers had slowly become entwined in one another’s as they’d relaxed.

Later that evening, after having said their goodbyes, Chase had driven the short distance back towards the Landry’s. The radio was on low and they’d sat in amiable silence as they listened to the music. As they’d neared home, he’d pulled up alongside the small bayou that ran alongside the house and turned off the engine.

The air inside the truck crackled with tension as they both sat silently for a moment. Amelie could feel her heart beating fast. _She swore if she looked down she’d be able to see it coming out of her chest!_   She twiddled nervously with her fingers as she tried to regulate her breathing.

_Why the hell was she still so damn nervous around him?_

“So…” Chase turned towards her. She could just about make out his eyes in the dim light emitted from the radio. They were staring at her and she had to smile as she saw the humour in them.

“So…” she answered, wondering what this little game was. _Bah! She wished she knew how these things were meant to be played_. She was petrified of doing something wrong in case she came across as cold. _Or worse, crazy and desperate!_

“I had a great time tonight…” he rested his hand on her thigh and squeezed it. Amelie took a sharp intake of breath and looked from his hand back up to his eyes. It was dark so she couldn’t be certain but his deep brown eyes somehow seemed bigger, darker and she felt that familiar tingle as she laid her own hand on top of his.

“Me too… you really do have a lovely family. Ridge is so adorable and Lyndsi and Jacob make such a great couple” she babbled not noticing that Chase had slid closer along the seat.

The next thing she knew, she was being silenced by his lips as they were tenderly pressed to her own. She gasped as he quite literally took her breath away. Chase’s hand slid out from under her own and skimmed her hip as it moved up towards her waist.

As he reached it, his fingers tightened and he pulled her closer, relishing the way she responded to him. She was whimpering as she opened her mouth to him, allowing him access, and their tongues entwined. As the kiss deepened she became bolder, her own hands sliding possessively up his arms, slipping under the tight sleeves of his T shirt until they were gripping his biceps firmly. Chase groaned and squeezed her waist, running his other hand along the hemline of her T shirt hesitantly. He opened his eyes and looked in her own for any uncertainty but all he saw was desire. He slipped his warm hand underneath, stroking the silky soft skin of her lower back and she moaned, digging her nails into his arms and eliciting a growl from Chase that reverberated through both their lips.

Amelie began to paw at his chest, luxuriating in the feel of his hard muscles through the thin fabric. All this did was to spur Chase on. He pulled his mouth away from Amelie’s and began nibbling at her ear as he whispered how good she tasted and how soft her skin was.

The sound of a car approaching along the deserted road made them jump and they broke away reluctantly, breathless and panting for air. Immediately, Amelie started to feel awkward. She was torn between climbing over the seat to Chase, insisting he carry on exactly where he’d left off, and doing nothing. She glanced sideways and saw that Chase also seemed to fighting some internal battle. He wriggled uncomfortably in his seat and her eyes fell to his crotch. In the dim light she could just make out the bulge in his jeans and her eyes widened in shock.

_Shit! This was all going so damn fast._

Chase caught her eyes and she looked away, embarrassed. He coughed and laughed self-consciously before starting the engine.

“I think I’d best be getting us home before things get outta hand in here!” he joked but gripped the steering wheel as they drove up to the driveway and parked.

Amelie went to open the door but Chase stopped her, his hand back on her thigh.

“I really _did_ have a great time.” he whispered nervously “but I’d like to take you out _properly_ next time. Y’know? Like a real date. What d’ya think..?”

“I think I’d really like that…” Amelie smiled, her heart beating fast again.

_She couldn’t think of anything she’d like more than that right at that moment._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a biatch! Sorry....


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, not sorry...

** Chapter Twenty Six **

 

The next three days were a whirlwind. Ever since the incident in the boat, both Amelie and Chase had been putting out fires left, right and centre.

First it was phone calls from the television company, wanting statements about Rick’s behaviour and subsequent departure.

Then it was trying to find time, _any time,_ where they could be alone together. Whenever they did manage to snatch a few minutes here and there those minutes resulted in some of the biggest fires they had to extinguish as they would reluctantly break free from one another, hot and most definitely bothered.

And then there were the awkward questions they had to dodge from Troy and Bernita as they questioned why Chase was suddenly spending a lot more time with Amelie. Eventually they’d simply had to come clean after coming home from their second official date and getting caught making out on the porch by Troy as he’d returned from the work shed. They’d all laughed about it once the blushes had settled, but it had rather put a dampener on where Chase had been hoping the night would end.

Amelie didn’t get off any lighter though, she’d too had the questioning, and not solely from the Landry’s. Aunt Liz seemed to have heard something through the grapevine, and the day after the incident on the porch, she’d rang her with questions and warnings to be careful around Chase. Having worked closely with the Landry family in the past she’d seen how the women would flock to him and eventually admitted she was worried that Amelie might just end up getting cast aside. It had upset Amelie more than she’d cared to admit and when Chase had taken her to a bar in the next town along that evening to watch some live blues artist, she’d found herself watching his every move.

This was their first date ‘out’ in public and she felt awkward, almost as if there was a flashing sign above her head screaming _VIRGIN_. She found solace in several beers. Chase matched her drink for drink but they had little effect on his large frame. Amelie however could feel the room begin to spin after her fifth, the bright lights hurting her eyes. She slipped her shades over them as she giggled into her beer, all the while trying to put the words of her aunt out of her mind. But she couldn’t help but watch Chase as he returned from the restroom, that shit eating grin of his and his laid back attitude starting to make her heckles rise as several women’s heads turned as he passed. She knew she was being unfair. He hadn’t done _anything_ to attract their attention, other than being himself. And there in a nutshell was the problem.

He was too damn hot for her! _There was no way she was going to be able to keep him…_

As Chase sat back down at the table he held his hand out to Amelie but she pulled hers away, grabbing her beer.

“I’m all out” she waved the empty bottle at him and hiccupped.

Chased quirked his eyebrows as he watched her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew something was bothering Amelie. She’d been quiet on the ride over and as the night had gone on, she’d seemed to have become more and more distant. He asked her several times if she was okay, to which she would nod and smile but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes and it unsettled him. Now she’d put her sunglasses on inside the damn bar he had no idea what was going on behind them.

He was a little pissed off if he was totally honest. He’d been looking forward to finally being able to take her out somewhere properly and it wasn’t going at all as he’d planned. It didn’t help that she looked hot as hell as she drank her beer straight from the bottle, those plump lips of hers wrapped around it giving him bad, _bad_ ideas. And when she’d slipped off the plaid overshirt she’d been wearing to reveal the tight tank top underneath he’d almost had a fit.

She was frowning at him now, her left leg pulled up underneath her right one as she leant forward, giving him a generous view of her cleavage.

Goddammit if she wasn’t perfect.

_Wasted._ But _absolutely, fucking,_ perfect.

“I said… I’m out. We need more beers” she repeated, her voice getting louder.

“I think, darlin’… that you might just have had enough” Chase winked and tried to take the bottle out of her hand but she pulled back from him and nearly slipped off her stool.

He stood quickly and caught the stool before it tipped completely.

Amelie felt the room spin as Chase pulled her back upright. He was stood over her, frowning with one hand on either side of the seat pad, his thumbs resting lightly against her thighs. She moved her head to look up at him but as she did so she spotted a small group of women behind him giggling and pointing at Chase and she stared at them, throwing them daggers. They were completely oblivious to her as they made their way over towards him.

“It _is_ him!” squeaked a dark haired woman with large breasts threatening to spill out of the low cut top she was wearing. She tapped Chase on the shoulder and he flinched before turning his head, not having realised there was anyone nearby.

When he saw the three women he smiled good-naturedly and nodded before turning his attentions back to Amelie. He felt another tap on his shoulder.

_Fuck! This was all he needed._

Something was well and truly off with Amelie and the last thing he needed right now was a group of fans. Still, they were one of the reasons Swamp People was so successful. Chase, generous to a fault, sighed apologetically to Amelie and shrugged his shoulders before turning back towards the three women.

“Hey ladies… what can I do for y'all?” he smiled and they all giggled.

Amelie felt the bile rise as she watched the three women gather around him, pawing at him as they took selfie after selfie. One blonde woman slung her arm over his shoulder and Amelie watched in disbelief as she pressed her body up against him and his hand naturally went to her bare waist as the photo was taken. Angry tears began to well up as he made small talk with them, turning back towards her and smiling occasionally.

But then something snapped. Amelie climbed down from her stool and lurched over to him, grabbing him from behind as she wrapped her arms possessively around his waist.

Startled, Chase turned sideways and looked down to see two angry eyes staring at him. The three women were eyeballing Amelie like she was some crazy woman but all that did was make Amelie want to stake her claim even more. She stood on her tip toes and moved one hand to his jaw, grabbing it forcefully between her thumb and fingers and dragged his lips down to her own. Meanwhile, her other hand slid around to the back pocket of his jeans and she slipped it inside and squeezed his ass.

“Fuck!” he hissed as he responded to the kiss, the women behind him forgotten as his own hands slid around to cup her ass. She moaned and released his jaw, using her now free hand to slip into the other rear pocket of his jeans.

And then they were oblivious. Of the open mouthed stares from the three women. Of the bar staff who were nudging each other and pointing. And of the wolf whistles from other patrons as Chase cupped Amelie’s ass and lifted her up, pushing her against the nearby wall. All they were aware of was each other as lips, tongues and teeth crashed together in a passionate explosion. Amelie wrapped her legs around Chase as she pressed herself against him, wanting to be as close to him as possible. She slid her hands up from his ass and under his shirt and dragged her short nails over his taught skin. Chase groaned loudly and gripped her tighter as he ground himself against her. He was rock hard and Amelie opened her eyes in shock as she savoured the unfamiliar feeling of his erection as he pressed against her throbbing core. Even though they were both fully clothed there was no mistaking the arousal in either. When they finally came up for air, Chase sucked and then reluctantly released her lower lip, as they panted, foreheads leant against one another.

Their eyes were ablaze and Amelie felt dizzy with desire. Without another thought she whispered "I want more... I want... you" Chase sucked in his ragged breath and looked at her questioningly, wondering if he even _dared_ hope she meant what she was saying.  She breathed in deeply, nodded and went to grab him again but was interrupted by the sound of a voice behind Chase.

“Okay guys… y’all have had some fun puttin’ on a show for us but it’s time to take this outside!”

It was one of the bar men and it brought the couple crashing back to reality. Embarrassed as all hell, Chase grudgingly let her down from his grip. As her feet touched the ground she wobbled and rested her head against Chase’s chest, feeling his heart pounding against her cheek. She heard, _or rather felt the vibrations of_ , him apologising to the bar man, his deep Southern drawl sounding thicker than she’d ever heard it before.

And then, as if from nowhere, the nausea returned. Her legs felt like jelly and she could feel a cold sweat forming on her brow as she swayed a little. Desperately pulling away from Chase, lest she vomit all over him she ran towards the nearest exit and had just made it outside when she heaved. She leant over, feeling the cramps as another wave of nausea gripped her but as she vomited a second time she felt the presence of someone behind her, pulling her hair back from her face.

A soothing hand stroked her back as she wretched again and again, until there was nothing left.

“Fuck! I didn’t think I was _that_ bad a kisser!” Chase joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh God, i'm so, so sorry" Amelie groaned, mortified that he'd seen her like this.

"Don't be... it happens to the best of us" he'd soothed but inside he was frustrated. There was no way he'd take advantage of her in this state but he _knew_ they had really been heading somewhere tonight.

_Somewhere good._

For whatever reason, Amelie had opened herself up to him, allowed herself not to worry about doing something wrong and had just gone with the flow.

_And my God was she a fucking natural!_

He let out a low moan as he replayed the events inside the bar. _He couldn't wait for another moment like that._

But he knew he would just have to, as there was nothing going to happen tonight.

_He wanted it to be perfect for her and being drunk, or sick was simply not going to cut it._

He sighed as he dialled a cab to come pick them up, telling himself he'd waited this long, he could wait a little longer

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we're getting there...


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not the chapter i'd planned to put up but please be patient with me... the next chapter will definitely reward that patience ;)

** Chapter Twenty Seven **

 

Amelie had fought through a nasty hangover the following morning. She wasn’t a big beer drinker. Having grown up in Iceland with Vodka and Brennivín you would think she could handle her alcohol but alas apparently not!

However, worse than the hangover was the knot in her stomach as she lamented the lost opportunity with Chase. She kicked herself for getting so drunk, for getting so damn jealous, but _most of all,_ for missing her chance to finally move things along with Chase.

She might be new to this kind of thing but she wasn’t dumb. She’d felt how much Chase had wanted her _, like really felt,_ and she’d wanted him just as much, if not more. She’d even tried to start something back up in the cab on the way home but even as she did so she knew the moment had passed.

_In all honesty, her lame attempt reeked of desperation._

Chase had patiently pulled her into his chest as he stroked her hair and whispered to her to take it easy in case she was sick again. Mortified, Amelie had felt the tears well up in her eyes at how patient he’d been with her and buried her head into his chest to stifle them before finally dozing off as her earlier adrenalin bottomed out.

Meanwhile, Chase had sighed to himself as she nuzzled into his chest. He could feel her hot breath through the thin cotton of his shirt as she slowly breathed in and out and realised she’d fallen asleep.

He allowed the hand that was stroking her hair to slip down her back, past her waist before resting it lightly on her hip. He couldn’t resist a small squeeze and revelled in being so close to her. She mumbled something sleepily about ignoring her Aunt Liz. Chase quirked his eyebrow, wondering what was running through her mind.

He continued to rub his hand soothingly over her hip and she let out a little whimper before breathily saying she forgave him. He stopped moving his hand and looked down at her in concern.

She was still fast asleep. He frowned as he noted the deep lines in her forehead as she seemed to be fighting some internal battle. He hesitated before tapping her gently. She moaned and slapped her lips together and he couldn’t help but smile at how damn well adorable she looked, even now as she drunkenly drooled!

Asleep, her small frame fitted into the contours of his body perfectly. It was almost like they were made for each other. He knew he was being ridiculous, having known her for less than a month but he already knew he felt something far more powerful than just physical attraction with her. There was an emotional bond there that he’d never felt with _anyone_ before. If he was being totally honest it scared the hell out of him.

But at the same time he knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.

The cab finally arrived back at the house and Chase gently shook Amelie but she was not to be roused. He sighed and paid the driver, then scooped her limp body up into his strong arms and carried her the short distance to the steps of the porch. As he pulled the screen door open she stirred, muttering some nonsensical rant about photographs whilst swearing like a trooper and he had to stifle a laugh.

She may well be beautiful, but a beautiful drunk she was not! He smirked as he plotted a nice early start. _He was going to make her pay tomorrow!_

Once inside he carried her the short distance up the stairs and to her room. It was then that he hesitated. What the hell was he going to do now? He knew what he _really_ wanted to do of course but as that was clearly off the menu he’d have to just get her inside and then leave.

This proved easier said than done. Once inside her room he’d laid her gently down on the bed and removed her Chucks before hesitating over getting her undressed. She would surely be more comfortable out of her jeans at least but he couldn’t bring himself to do it,  wanting her to at least be conscious the first time her body was revealed to him! Instead he’d covered her with the blanket that lay at the end of the bed. She began to stir, once again muttering something about a photograph. Chase stopped and frowned as he listened.

“Fuckin’… dick! Oh… _what_ a fuckin… _big_ dick! Dumb fuckin’ ass turning _that_ down eh _‘Melie…_ and _fuck me_ , that tongue!” she giggled and Chase cocked his eyebrow as he looked closely at her face.

_No, she was most definitely still asleep._

He rubbed his hand over his jaw deep in thought. _Who the hell was she talking about?_

_Him?_

He allowed himself a moment’s smugness at her ‘big dick’ comment, hoping it _was_ him and purely for anatomical reasons. _Well I’ve never had any complaints,_ he muttered to himself cockily with a small snigger.

 _But what if she was saying he was being a dick?_ She’d been off all night and what was the deal with the photograph she kept muttering on about? He quirked his eyebrow in confusion. _Oh fuck! Those fans!_ Shit… she must be really pissed at him. Those women had been a bit full on, but surely Amelie knew how he felt about her? _Surely the way he’d kissed her had told her that?_

_Damn! He’d have to make it up to her. There was no way he was going to fuck this up!_

He watched her for a few more minutes, not wanting to leave but knowing to stay would just be downright torture. Finally he stroked her hair back off of her forehead and kissed her gently, whispering “sweet dreams” to which he got another mouthful of profanity.

He sighed as he placed a waste bin at the side of the bed just in case she was sick again and left a glass of water on the bedside table before reluctantly leaving the room.

That night he’d laid awake trying to fathom what on Earth was going through Amelie’s mind. _And where they went from here._

***

It was late afternoon the following day and Amelie and Chase had caught a huge haul of alligators. Amelie had been in no fit state for a conversation on the way to the bayou that morning, barely able to keep her eyes open and still hungover as hell. Chase had tensed his jaw as they rode in silence, lamenting once again how quickly things seemed to shift between them, and not always in a good way.

Likewise, it had been impossible for them to have a proper conversation in the boat. Ever since the incident with Rick they seemed to be under even more intense scrutiny from the other camera men. Amelie couldn’t be certain but she had a bad feeling that they were watching for any more moments of weakness between the couple so she tried extra hard not to show any signs of her growing feelings for Chase. _He’d been a perfect gentleman last night, much to her disappointment!_

As for Chase, even in Amelie’s hungover and grouchy as hell state he couldn’t help but stare at her when she wasn’t looking. Last night had well and truly fanned the flames of his lust and he felt like a ticking time bomb.

As they’d driven in silence back to Duffy’s he knew he had to do something. He honestly wasn’t sure he could make it through another day of uncertainty.

Troy and Holdy had been unloading their catch as Chase and Amelie arrived and they all celebrated a fantastic day out on the swamp. Better still, as they tallied up their catches they realised there were only twelve tags remaining which they split fifty/fifty.

Chase realised then that tomorrow could well be their last day out on the swamp, but he wasn’t altogether sure how he felt about it. Whilst he was the first to admit it was always great to tag out, this left him in limbo with Amelie. _What would happen once they did?_ Would she just head straight back to Pecan Island? After all, she _was_ only in Pierre Part for gator season.

But surely now things were different?

Back inside the truck, they headed back to the house.

“So… great day! How you feelin’ now?” he started, feeling oddly nervous.

“Oh God, like I could sleep for a week!” she sighed, yawning “I probably shouldn’t have drank last night y’know. Sometimes I forget how sick I was just a few weeks ago… my energy levels are still all over the place” she muttered as she sighed again.

Chase looked at her in concern. He really could be a dick sometimes. In all his desire to move things along he’d almost forgotten how ill she’d been. And they’d had a lot of long days recently.

“You sure you’re okay baby? Do you wanna see the doctor or somethin’?” he frowned.

“No… I just need my bed tonight I think” she sighed and another yawn escaped.

The words lingered in the air for a moment before they both spoke at once.

“Amelie… What are you gonna do once…”

“Chase… I was wondering… oh”

“Ladies first” Chase took a deep breath and glanced at her.

“I… was just wondering… oh God this is really embarrassing…” she mumbled before huffing “Oh screw it! I was just wondering what your plans were after we tag out? Because I’d planned to go down to the coast at the end of the season you see. I’m gonna do some fishing and stuff, just relax y’know..? And… well, you’d be welcome to come along if you wanted to?” she wrung her hands nervously as she glanced across at him.

Chase listened to Amelie ramble on and as he did so the tension in his chest disappeared.

_She still wanted to spend time with him!_

“That sounds like a fuckin’ great idea!” he grinned at her “Did you have someplace in mind 'cause I know some great spots?”

“I hadn’t planned anything to be honest, I wasn’t sure when we’d tag out. I was just gonna head back to Pecan Island, pick up the truck and then drive down there”

“Oh…” Chase hesitated. Of course she’d want to see her mama first “well you could do that… or, I _could_ just drive us down there tomorrow after we finish up…” he suggested before adding _“hopefully!”_ After all, he didn’t want to tempt fate. _Gator hunting was nothing if not unpredictable!_

“I think I’d like that a lot” she blushed as she placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed gently whilst trying to stifle yet another yawn. She honestly couldn’t think of anything she wanted more at that moment.

Chase couldn’t help the low groan that escaped his mouth at her touch and looked over apologetically at her. She was looking at him curiously through sleepy eyes.

“Sorry!” he laughed nervously “but you know, you kind of drive me wild!”

Amelie blushed even deeper and giggled but despite the fatigue something inside her spurred her on. “Well y’know the feelings kind of mutual! So maybe… tomorrow we can try and, well… tame each other… y’know?” she winked at him and shuffled nervously in her seat as she _hoped_ he understood what she was getting at.

_There. She’d said it… no guts, no glory!_

_Fuck!_ Chase groaned and nodded slowly.

“Just so you know Amelie… I don’t think there’s _any_ chance of me feelin’ calm around you… _ever_ … but Lord I’m more than willing to try whatever you have in mind!”

They pulled into the driveway and Chase stopped the truck. The air was thick with tension as it mixed with the early evening humidity, leaving them both feeling breathless.

“Well I guess it’s a date then!” Amelie whispered nervously and Chase pulled her in for a kiss. “You’re damn right it’s a fuckin’ date!” he groaned into her mouth as he tried to calm her with his lips.

Amelie sighed into his mouth in pleasure but couldn’t help the yawn that tried to escape at the same time.

Reluctantly breaking free, Chase knew he needed to let her rest and they looked into one another’s eye’s knowing they’d both just signed an unspoken contract.

“Okay. Let’s get you inside so you can get some sleep… you’ll be needing all your energy tomorrow!” he winked at her and Amelie felt that now familiar warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.

_Fucking tease!_

As they walked up to the house hand in hand, they both said a silent prayer to God that they caught those remaining alligators tomorrow.

_And quickly!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes:
> 
> Brennivín is an Icelandic schnapps drink which will literally blow your head off! I say this from several lost nights... ;) It's typically 80% proof...


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

** Chapter Twenty Eight **

That evening they’d had supper and then Amelie had headed upstairs to bed. She wasn’t exaggerating when she said she was exhausted. It seemed like all the trauma of that first week, the subsequent recovery, the long, gruelling days out on the water and the overwhelming sexual tension between her and Chase had finally reached a peak. _She’d felt like death_. Bernita had suggested she take a long hot soak in her tub, there only being a shower in Amelie’s room and Amelie had gratefully accepted.

As she’d dragged her weary body back towards her room, now feeling clean and at least a little more relaxed, Chase had opened his door and quickly pulled her inside.

_If she hadn’t have known any better she’d have sworn he’d been listening out for her._

“Well you sure look a little more chilled!” he’d crooned as he pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling his face into her freshly washed hair.

She’d let out a contented sigh, relishing the warmth of his body against her aching limbs “I am. So much so that I almost fell asleep in the bath…” she’d giggled “I have a feeling I’ll be asleep before my head hits the pillow tonight” and she couldn’t help it, a yawn had escaped.

Chase had sighed, knowing that was his cue to let her go. But God if he hadn’t just wanted to tell her to stay with him, to sleep in his room. In his head he’d told himself they’d just sleep. Just be close to one another, sharing the same bed. But he’d known even before he opened his mouth to suggest it that it was a bad idea so he’d promptly kissed her gently, an almost chaste kiss in comparison to some of the ones they’d shared over the past few days.

 _He could wait._ He _would_ wait. He’d waited this long. _One more day…_ Whilst Amelie had been in the bath he’d made arrangements for their trip, booking a beachside cottage in Grand Isle. It overlooked the sea and they could fish and crab nearby. _That was if they made it out of the room…_

And so he’d let her go. Back to her room as he readied himself for yet another night of frustrated dreams but all the while trying to remind himself it would be worth it.

***

They’d made another early start the following day. Amelie had woken feeling like a new woman. She’d bounded out of bed, getting dressed quickly and packing her bags, hopeful that they would tag out early enough to make the trip to the coast.

And tag out they did. The 6am start out on Lake Avoca had been a great call on Chase’s part. Despite a couple of near misses out on the open water, they’d tagged their six alligators by half past ten. Chase made a quick phone call to Troy to check how they were going. Troy and Holdy had five alligators and were heading on to one of his favourite honey holes for large gators in the hope that they could tag a monster for their last of the season.

Chase bit his tongue, for once hoping his Pa wasn’t going to spend hours searching for a behemoth when all they needed was a single gator. He had plans, and while he knew the bigger the gator, the more money they would ultimately earn, today he’d  be just as happy if his pa returned with six 6 footers!

They agreed to meet back at Duffy’s. It was a tense ride back to process the gators, both Amelie and Chase knowing that today would potentially change their relationship for ever. They said very little, both deep in their own thoughts and allowing the soulful voice of Tab Benoit to wash over them as they prayed Troy and Holdy wouldn’t be too far behind them.

They’d just finished unloading the boat and moving the gators to the chiller when Troy pulled up alongside Chase’s truck. It was a little after twelve and Chase couldn’t help but grin as he walked over to them both, slapping them on the back and Hi 5’ing them as the realisation that they’d finally tagged out for the season dawned on them all. Amelie joined them, a huge grin on her face. She hugged first Troy, then Holdy and finally Chase whispering to him “well it looks like we’re going to the coast today!”

Chase picked her up and spun her around, much to her surprise and she let out a squeal. Troy and Holdy were laughing as they watched on. Troy had to admit, he’d never seen his son this happy before. There was a genuine warmth in the way they looked at one another and he couldn’t help but laugh to himself as he thought back to the way things had been at the start of the season. _Whoever would have thought this would be how it ended?!_

Under normal circumstances the Landry’s had a tradition of heading back home and having a feast out on the deck to celebrate the end of the season but Chase had already mentioned that he and Amelie might head down to the coast.

Troy wasn’t born yesterday. He knew they were going to be celebrating in their own way and he wasn’t going to begrudge either of them after all the hard work they’d put in over those challenging few weeks. Feeling benevolent he packed them off back home so that they could get ready. They had a good couple of hours drive ahead of them after all.

Having made the short drive home, they showered and loaded up the truck, and then finally set off. The ride down was filled with laughter along with more than a little nervousness on both parts.

Amelie was excited and nervous in equal measures as it finally dawned on her just what a big deal tonight could potentially be for her. All those years of feeling worthless, of being undesirable had finally led to this moment. And she honestly couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather share the experience with than Chase. Over the last few weeks he’d frustrated her and awakened her desires in equal measures. But throughout, no matter how she’d initially tried to resist, he’d slowly but surely charmed her.

As for Chase, well he honestly couldn’t drive fast enough. _Despite how it might have appeared he wasn’t totally focused on the sex either._ Sure, he couldn’t wait to finally get to know her in an altogether more _intimate_ manner. _What man wouldn’t?_ She’d made it abundantly clear that she wanted it just as much as he did, despite her nerves and he wanted nothing less than to make all her dreams come true tonight.

He knew the first time with _anyone_ should be special, let alone the first time _ever_. _That was something that stayed with you forever._ But that meant it also came with substantial pressure on his part and he wasn’t without nerves. Yet, just the thought of being with Amelie, uninterrupted and away from the intruding lens of a camera also made him feel a little giddy with excitement.

_He honestly felt as nervous as the first time he’d gone on a real date with a girl!_

It was just that the stakes today were altogether much higher.

As they finally cleared the causeway onto the island Amelie could feel the butterflies really begin to take over. She looked at her watch. It was nearly five o’clock and she then realised she hadn’t eaten since the candy bar she’d had when they’d reached Duffy’s.

As if to signal her hunger, her stomach started growling loudly.

“Hungry?” Chase quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Just a bit! How are you not?” she looked at him incredulously. The man ate like a horse and unless he’d been secretly binging when they’d been packing he must be just as hungry.

“Oh I am _ravenous_!” he drawled as he eyeballed her, lingering on the bare flesh where her shorts ended just above the knee.

 _Amelie_ _wasn’t altogether sure whether they were still talking about food._ She coughed loudly, trying to gather her wits as he sat there with a shit eating grin on his handsome face.

“ _O…kay…_ well how about we drop our things at the cottage then head out for some groceries and food?” Amelie tried to sound casual as she fiddled with the hem of her shorts but she wasn’t fooling either of them in the slightest.

Chase’s hand appeared on top of hers and squeezed it gently.

“Amelie… I’m sorry… I’m being an ass…” Chase sighed “that sounds like a great idea but I phoned ahead and asked Miss Pat, the owner, to arrange for a few basics to be waiting for us. And supper is already arranged for tonight” he winked at her.

Amelie looked at him in shock. _Well, wasn’t he full of surprises?_ She smiled back and soon enough they approached a small group of holiday rentals. Chase ran into the office and collected their key, insisting Amelie wait in the car.

He was being secretive and it was making Amelie even more nervous, _if that was possible._

He returned with a mysterious cardboard box and placed it in the back of the truck before driving them the short distance to their cottage. As Amelie finally stepped outside, she stretched her arms and legs and breathed in the sea air. It felt familiar and strange all at the same time. Having grown up by the sea Amelie was used to the salty tang in the air but this was nothing like Ólafsvík. The humidity was sky high and she was sweating already, but at least there was a breeze coming in off the ocean which was literally across the road from their cottage.

“It’s beautiful!” she whispered as she stared out at the open water. Chase walked up behind her and encircled her in his arms, leaning his chin on her shoulder.

He breathed her in before whispering “Almost as beautiful as you”. He went to nuzzle her neck but she turned and caught his lips in her own instead. As they kissed languidly Amelie’s nerves began to dissipate before she reluctantly broke free.

“Hey! I was just getting into that!” Chase grumbled as she pulled away and went to the rear of the truck to grab her bags.

“Well we need to unpack because i’m starving… and I have a feeling we’ll be needing our energy later on!” she winked cheekily at him and he groaned before catching hold of the tailgate.

“Allow me darlin’!” he winked back at her and she almost collapsed in a puddle right there. He smiled and tossed her the keys to the cottage and quickly loaded himself up with their bags and the large cardboard box.

They headed up the steps and onto the porch. There was a small swing on the front deck which overlooked the ocean and a table and chairs where they’d be able to sit and eat. Amelie unlocked the door and led them inside to a large open plan room with a kitchenette and sitting area. The room was painted in different shades of blue and there were two doors leading off from the main room.

The room was tastefully furnished. Basic but clean and functional and with a simple seaside charm to it. She loved it immediately.

“It’s perfect!” she breathed as she walked around looking at the art on the walls and stopping as she reached the two doors. Chase watched her as she delighted in the little cottage. Relief overwhelmed him. It wasn’t fancy, there wasn’t really _anywhere_ particularly fancy to stay out here, but he’d taken a chance booking it without consulting her. So it was good to see they were on the same page at least.

He walked over to the first door and opened it. Inside there was a large tub, a separate shower and WC and a double sink unit.

“So that’ll be the bathroom!” he laughed nervously and then moved to open the second door “which must mean… this is the bedroom…” he opened the door and walked inside, dumping the bags on the bed and turning expectantly towards her.

Amelie stood tentatively in the doorway looking around the room. It was airy just like the lounge but painted in a soft green hue. There were crisp white linens on the huge bed and at the end of the bed was a set of patio doors which led out onto the deck. She walked over to the windows and peered outside.

“Wow! What a view…” she whispered almost to herself as she took in the sight of the waves as they lapped upon the sandy beach.

“It sure is somethin’ ain’t it?” Chase appeared behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders “…and the beach is mighty pretty as well!”

Amelie snorted as she turned and rolled her eyes at him in amusement “Chase Landry! That has got to be the corniest one yet!” she giggled.

“Sorry ma’am…” he drawled as he tipped his cap apologetically, before whispering “but it’s true y’know!”

Amelie swatted him away as she grabbed her bag and began to unpack her things. Chase couldn’t help but grin at her again as he watched her cheeks flush. She embarrassed so easily. _But God was it fuckin’ adorable when she blushed!_ He busied himself unpacking his own bag and then quickly freshened up. Amelie was putting her last few things away when he came back into the room.

“Okay… why don’t you chill out, have a soak in the tub or a shower or whatever you feel like doing?” he suggested “I’ve got to head out and pick up supper. I pre-ordered it before we left so it’s ready to go”

He kissed her and headed out the door leaving her stood wondering what the hell he was up to.

Chase returned about twenty minutes later loaded up. Amelie had taken his advice and showered and changed, dressing in a pretty white cotton sundress with intricate embroidery over the bust. Her mama had bought it for her when she’d first arrived in Louisiana but she’d never had the courage to wear it. It was so far out of her comfort zone of jeans, shorts and T shirts but if there was ever a time to push her boundaries, surely tonight was the night?

As Chase walked through the door and caught sight of her his breath caught. _She looked absolutely stunning._ Not that she didn’t always but it was strange to see her in something so… _so feminine._

He laid the bag of food down, his hands shaking as she moved closer to him and peered inside inquisitively. She smelled amazing and he almost forgot about the food as he watched her out of the corner of his eye as she giddily unpacked the bag. The bodice was tight and did nothing to hide the soft curves of her breasts and he had to stifle a groan as he tried to focus on the food she was laying out.

He had collected a huge order of freshly boiled shrimp and crab from his favourite seafood place on the island. It was a veritable feast and Amelie’s eyes lit up as they’d laid it all out on the table, oblivious of the effect she was having on him. Chase went to the fridge and was pleased to see that Miss Pat had left the bottle of wine he’d requested chilling nicely inside. He opened it and poured them both a glass. _For courage._

Amelie had brought her iPod so she set it up and selected one of her more chilled out playlists. Then they sat and stuffed themselves until their plates were clean before slumping down on the sofa. Amelie had held back when Chase had offered her a second glass of wine, choosing water instead and Chase had done the same.

Now, as they sat on the sofa, Amelie felt like the wine had gone to her head. But not in a bad way like the beer had two nights ago. No, tonight she just felt alive, emboldened somehow as she slid closer to him on the comfortable sofa and stroked her hand lightly along the length of his thigh.

“You know I _really_ like you…” she elbowed him and giggled flirtatiously.

“You’re not too pretty bad yourself… you know that?” Chase leant over and whispered in her ear and she’d giggled again as his hot breath tickled her bare skin.

He turned towards her then, his face serious as he pulled her onto his lap so that she was straddling him.

“Well you don’t waste any time do you!” she laughed teasingly as her face began to heat up. She wondered if this was how it began. _God, if only she knew how this sort of thing happened in real life instead of just in movies!_

“I need to tell you something …” he started hesitantly and she worried her lip. He wanted to be totally honest with her from the start but he began to panic that he was about to scare her off before they’d even begun. Still, he knew he had to just get it off his chest.

He slid his hands up to her face and brushed her hair back so he could see her eyes properly as he spoke.

“I… I need to be totally honest with you. I’ve been with my fair share of women Amelie… Not _anywhere_ near as many as people might have you believe, I gotta tell you _…”_ he paused “but enough to know that what _we_ have is _different_ …”

“I know Chase… and I don’t care” she whispered back honestly, relieved that he wasn’t telling her some deep dark secret. _She was no fool. Chase Landry was hot as hell!_ She knew he’d been around the block a few times but it didn’t change the way she felt about him in the slightest.

“Amelie… That’s great and all that you don’t care but I don’t think you understood what I just said? Let me be _clear_ baby… this… this _thing_ between us is different” he sighed as he moved his hands down towards her neck and rested them on her bare shoulders, trying to explain himself clearly.

She closed her eyes and moved her head to the side so that one cheek rubbed against one of his big hands. She let out a little moan as she breathed him in.

“Amelie… look at me” Chase insisted, leaning forward so that his nose was almost touching hers. When she straightened her head and looked at him his big brown eyes were boring into her solemnly.

“Listen to me… _please_ Amelie…” he pleaded “you may not have been my first but I sure as hell want you to be my last…”

He said those words without even a flicker of hesitation and it took Amelie a few moments to truly understand the implication of what he’d just said.

She sat, opened mouthed as she tried to process his words. When she finally spoke she had a less than eloquent response.

“Fucking hell!” she gasped before raising her hand to her mouth and apologising for killing the moment “I’m sorry… I mean… fuck… _really_?” she whispered as a happy tear slid down her cheek.

Chase looked shocked “You know you sure got a filthy mouth for someone who acts so good and proper!” he smirked, some of the tension leaving him as he smiled at her. Her eyes were bright and she looked a little overwhelmed at his confession but as he wiped away the solitary tear from her cheek something must have clicked into place because her next words shocked him even more.

“Oh you have no idea Chase Landry!” Amelie muttered to herself, a cheeky grin on her face.

Chase, unable to hold back any longer, kissed her greedily. Amelie responded immediately. There was nothing sweet or innocent about this kiss. This kiss was the culmination of weeks of barely contained sexual tension and for Amelie in particular, years of repressed sexual desire.

Amelie’s hands, having never really wandered anywhere other than over his biceps, were suddenly everywhere. She was pulling impatiently at his T shirt as her fingers slid underneath and delighted in the feel of his heated skin. Meanwhile Chase was biting at her lip as she scratched her nails lightly across his chest. He bucked involuntarily and she stopped for a moment, hoping she hadn’t hurt him. It was then she suddenly became aware of the position she was sitting in and the presence of something already pressing insistently against her ass.

She pulled away from Chase and stepped up shakily, her legs already feeling like jelly.

Panting, she looked down at him and could clearly make out a substantial bulge in his jeans. She bit her lip and when her eyes met Chase’s she saw her own desire reflected in his and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the bedroom.

 

 

 

_The inspiration for Amelie and her dress..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me...


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry... not sorry...

** Chapter Twenty Nine **

 

Chase stood quickly and followed her, allowing her to take the lead.

Once inside the bedroom she turned to face him again and was shocked to see that he was stood so close. Some of her bravado disappeared and she seemed a little unsure of herself now as she looked up at him, biting her lip nervously once again.

“Are you sure you want this..?” he asked her, his voice deeper than she’d ever heard it before. She felt her stomach clench as she nodded slowly. No matter how nervous she felt she also knew she had never wanted _anything_ or _anyone_ like she wanted Chase Landry right at that moment.

Chase was upon her then, lifting her up and crossing the short distance to the bed where he lay her down gently on the thick mattress. He climbed up and straddled her, careful not to put any pressure on her just yet. He looked down at her as she panted, hypnotised momentarily by the rhythmic rise and fall of her breasts before slowly trailing his index finger from her lips down to her collar bone and along to where her left nipple was pressing insistently against the embroidered fabric of her dress. The action sent a shiver down Amelie and she moaned, wondering what he would do next.

He answered her by circling her nipple slowly with the same finger, watching in rapt awe as her body responded so willingly to his touch. She let out a small gasp and he bent his head so that his lips were surrounding the now taut bud. He sucked at the fabric, allowing his hot breath to seep through to the responsive flesh below. Meanwhile his other index finger was now tracing around her other nipple. The sensation was overwhelming and Amelie began to whimper, trying to force her body closer to Chase but he patiently stopped her.

“Slow down darlin’” he soothed “there’s so much more to come”

Amelie could feel the now all too familiar throbbing sensation in her pussy and ignored his instructions. She slid one of her hands up over his T shirt and tugged insistently on the fabric as she begged “Off… _please_ … take it off”

Chase reluctantly pulled away and looked down at her. She was breathless and panting but she had a look in her eyes that told him in no uncertain terms that if he didn’t do it, she _would_. He slowly pulled the T shirt up over his head, teasing her and was rewarded with a loud moan of appreciation.

“Oh God…” she moaned reverently as she stared at his thick, muscular chest covered in tattoos “ _Jesus Christ…!”_

_ _

“No ma’am” he winked cheekily at her “Just Chase Landry… at your service!” with that he bent back down to her other nipple and began sucking greedily on it while teasing the other with his finger.

Amelie was soon panting again as she ran her hands over his muscular, _and now naked_ , shoulders. As he continued to move his lips over and over again she couldn’t help but dig her nails into his skin and he flinched.

“Shit… sorry!” she automatically apologised and he stopped and looked up at her, his eyes hooded and his voice now thick with desire.

“Don’t apologise… that was hot as fuck!” he groaned and her eyes grew wide “trust me… if you do something I don’t like I’ll tell you straight away… and you gotta do the same… you understand? But that? _I liked it…_ ”

“Mmm…hmm” she nodded, her eyes once again drawn to his inked chest. She trailed a finger over the outline of the biggest tattoo, some sort of dagger with wings and a heart motif and he growled as she reached the outer edges of the wings. _Oh he likes that too!_ she realised.

She began stroking the sensitive skin around each of his nipples, teasing them until they were just as erect as her own. He was watching her intently and she licked her lips before leaning upwards to take one in her mouth. She lapped gently at it and Chase let out a low growl and started to run his fingers roughly through her hair as he guided her from one to the other. As he finally pulled her head away she blew lightly over each one and he let out a shudder.

“Well aren’t you just the gift that keeps on giving…” he stared predatorily at her as he licked his lips “I think… one of us still seems to be wearing altogether too many clothes though…” he winked at her then and she blushed before nodding in agreement.

He pulled her forward so that she was sat upright and ran his hands along the back of her dress feeling for the zip. As he slowly pulled it down the fabric began to fall and Amelie instinctively pulled the loose bodice to her chest.

Chase gently moved his hands over hers and looked her in the eye “you can trust me baby…” he whispered and she moved her hands, allowing him free access. He slowly pulled the dress up and over her head and tossed it on the floor but he wasn’t prepared for what he had revealed.

Underneath, Amelie was naked save for a delicate pair of white lace panties.

“Fuck! Amelie… baby… I knew you’d be beautiful but… jeez!” he growled and Amelie blushed crimson.

Chase’s eyes narrowed as he tried to control himself. She was truly breath-taking, her skin luminescent and smooth and he didn’t know where to begin. Her creamy breasts were the perfect size for him to cup one in each of his large hands and he did so as he rolled his thumbs eagerly over those still taut nipples. Amelie let out a loud sigh of delight as he then brought his tongue down to gently lap at each one in turn, licking and sucking as he realised now why they had been so damn responsive through the fabric of her dress. _The friction must have been sending her wild!_

Amelie felt like she was floating as Chase’s tongue slowly worked its magic, making its way up towards her clavicle as his hot kisses peppered her neck. He slowly lowered himself on top of her, and she let out a groan of delight at the sensation of skin to skin contact, their bodies finally touching one another as his weight pressed down against her respondent body. _This was something she’d dreamed of for so long._

She wrapped her arms around his neck and teased his nape as she began to respond to his touch. His hands were slowly mapping out every curve and contour of her body and it was driving her crazy with longing.

For the first time in her life she truly understood what it felt like to be wanted, to be desired and now… to be worshipped.

The throbbing in her pussy was becoming more and more insistent and she knew she’d have to do something about it and soon. With her arms still around Chase’s neck she pulled him closer, licking the shell of his ear before begging “please…” breathily.

Chase stopped and pulled back a little, watching her intently.

“What do you want darlin’?” he asked “tell me what you want”

“Oh God… Chase… I want… I want… no… _I NEED_ … you to touch me… _please_ ” she bucked her hips involuntarily and left Chase in absolutely no doubt _where_ she wanted to be touched.

He lifted himself off her and moved to her side, unbuckling his belt and slipping his jeans and boxers off before straddling her once again.

She looked at him nervously and he leant down and kissed her, wanting to take some of her anxiety away. It was a deep, sensuous kiss and it left them both breathless. Then he sat back up and trailed his hands lightly over the contours of her stomach, circling his fingers over the intricate loops of her tattoo until they reached the lace and cotton of her panties.

“Are you ready baby?” he asked and she nodded. Her eyes didn’t leave his hands as she watched him slowly pull the final barrier separating her from him away. Then he slid a hand under the back of each of her knees and gently pushed her legs apart, exposing her to him.

“Fuck..!” Chase breathed, his voice ragged as he looked down at this beauty underneath him who was staring up at him with pure, unadulterated adoration across her face “Amelie…! You are just perfect!”

“Chase… please!” Amelie whimpered in response as she reached down to her soft flesh that was so exposed. She’d actually moved her hand to cover herself, but as she did so she couldn’t help but trail a finger over her clit and bucked at how responsive she already was.

She let out a deep groan as her own touch and this gave Chase an idea.

“Amelie… baby… I want to know what you like… how you like to be touched, yeah? I want you to show me what you’d do if I wasn’t here, okay? Do you think you could do that… _for me?_ ”

Amelie looked up at him in shock. Did he mean what she thought he meant?

_Good God!_ It was embarrassing enough that she lay so exposed to him as it was. She worried her lip before opening her mouth to answer him but he stopped her.

"Do you trust me Amelie" he asked, his voice husky and his eyes intense.  
Amelie nodded slowly.  
"I need you to say it... do you baby?"  
"With my life…" she looked him in the eyes "I trust you with my life Chase Landry”

“Okay… well I need you to trust me when I say that I want to please you baby… I want to make you come _so hard_ that you’ll see stars…”

Amelie let out another whimper at his words before he continued.

“…and the best way I can possibly do that is to learn from what _you_ do” Chase waited for a response, any response but Amelie didn’t say another word.

What she did instead was to move one of her hands slowly back down in between her legs and part her lips until she found her clit once more. Instantly she started to writhe on the bed as she languidly rubbed at the bundle of nerves and Chase took a sharp intake of breath as he watched her before sliding his own hand down, palming his cock to the same rhythm as Amelie.

“Jesus Amelie… you look so beautiful spread out for me baby” he hissed.

“Chase…Chase…” she moaned breathily, lifting her eyes to search for him and being rewarded with the sight of him gripping what looked like a _fucking huge_ cock. “Oh God… Chase… baby… I need… _I need_ …” she mewled.

“Fuck… Amelie” he groaned as he watched her start to come undone before him. Her fingers were now solely concentrated on her clit, everything else forgotten in her haste to climax. And then Chase was on her, his fingers reaching out to her, his thumb rubbing in small circles over her engorged clit as her own fingers sagged at the realisation that there was someone else there ready to take care of her now. A _nd dear God but those fingers were talented_ , spreading her wide and filling her unlike she had ever been able to herself, even with the help of her vibrator.

“Oh God… _oh God_ …. _Chase_ … that…. _Oh God_ … I’m so… so… _fuck_ … _I’m gonna come!”_

“Come baby… come for me…” Chase had gasped.

And with that she’d come undone, her body shaking as she clenched rhythmically around Chase’s thick fingers as they continued to thrust into her. Her moist hands went to her breasts, palming them as she slowly came back down to Earth.

“Holy fuck….” She groaned “that was… _amazing_ ”

Her eyes connected with Chase’s and she was shocked to see that his usually soft chocolate brown eyes looked as black as midnight. He was panting and seemed to be sweating just as much as she was and she looked at him in concern.

“Are you okay?” she tried to sit up but he gently pushed her back down as he moved over her once more.

“Are you kiddin’ me?” he growled “that was, without doubt the hottest thing I’ve ever seen baby… fuck! I almost came just watchin’ you” he gulped as he felt his cock twitching again and looked down at it.

Amelie followed his gaze and could see how hard he was for her. She pulled him closer so that she could whisper in his ear “hadn’t we better take care of that for you then baby?”

“I can wait darlin’” he tried to show patience, not wanting to rush her but she looked at him as if he was crazy.

“I don’t think you’re understanding me _Mr Landry_ …” she drawled coquettishly, suddenly feeling empowered “I _want_ you to make love to me… please!”

Her hot breath made him shiver and he looked at her in reverence, this beautiful woman who was so willing to give herself over to him, to give him the gift of her virginity and he knew he couldn’t turn her down.

“Okay darlin’… if you’re sure?” he asked again and she nodded as she pulled him closer. “We’ll start slow… tell me if it hurts at all and I’ll stop straight away baby”

“Okay… please Chase…” Amelie begged.

Chase slipped off the bed and pulled on a condom before settling himself between her luscious thighs once more, looking longingly at her pale pink pussy. He licked his lips.  _He already knew what he was going to be eating for breakfast…_

He positioned himself at her centre and rubbed the head of his swollen cock against her outer lips, her juices acting as a lubricant as he very slowly began to breech her entrance. He stilled, watching and listening for any signs of distress but Amelie just let out a long groan of pleasure.

“Oh God… that… that… oh God that feels so good!” she cried out. Buoyed on, Chase started to slowly move until he felt resistance and Amelie tensed around him and winced. He stopped, allowing her to adjust to his girth, biting back a cry as he felt her inner walls already responding to him as they gripped his shaft tightly. He couldn’t help but respond and moved slightly, making Amelie wince again.

He stopped straight away and looked at her warily. “Sorry baby… did I hurt you?” he asked, concern flashing across his handsome face.

“No… God no! It was… uhh… it was good… real good!” she sighed with pleasure “I think I’m just too tight, or you’re too big”

“Amelie… you’re perfect baby… you feel fuckin’ incredible in fact… and you have my word that I will not intentionally hurt you…’okay? We’ll start again slowly, yeah? Trust me, it’ll get easier as we start to move more… just tell me if I hurt you” he looked at her in concern.

Amelie nodded and as Chase pushed this time the pain seemed far less intense and she actually started to respond to his slow thrusts. Soon she was begging him to fill her completely. As he did so, the sensation of being full was almost overwhelming and she began to clench around him.

Soon they began to set a rhythm and Chase started to move faster and harder inside her.

Amelie began to cry out, all her inhibitions having disappeared as she begged him to fuck her as hard as he could. Chase responding, pulling her legs up over his shoulders as he sought greater leverage to bury himself even deeper inside her hot, welcoming pussy. In this new position every thrust hit that magic spot deep inside Amelie and she started to cry out in ecstasy as another orgasm started to overwhelm her.

“Oh God… Chase…. That feels so…. Fuck… me…. That’s right…. Oh god… please don’t stop… please…” she moaned almost incoherently as she came hard, her walls pulsating around Chase’s hard cock, milking him as he hurtled towards his own release.

“Baby… fuck… you’re so fuckin’ tight…. You… oh God…  Cher bébé… I’m gonna… oh fuck….” And with a couple more erratic thrusts Chase came undone, his cock twitching as he finally unloaded weeks of pent up tension inside her.

He slumped over Amelie, resting on his elbows so as not to crush her small frame as they both panted, gasping for air as they tried to regulate their breathing.

“Oh… God… I can’t believe _that’s_ what I’ve been missing out on all these years!” Amelie giggled as she finally gathered her breath.

Chase pulled her over so that she was lay on top of him and kissed her forcefully, savouring the taste of her and the feel of her body, slaked in perspiration as she nuzzled into his chest.

“So… baby. How was that for your first time?” Chase quirked his eyebrow at her cockily and she smirked down at him.

“Oh Mr Landry… we are gonna do that a lot…. A lot…a lot!” she winked at him and drew him into a deep kiss, wondering how the hell she’d struck this lucky.

She already had a strong feeling her fishing rod wouldn’t be making it out of the back of the truck...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look guys, I rushed the ending of this so I may go back and redo it but for now I hope you *cough* enjoy it... ;)


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More shenanigans...

** Chapter Thirty **

 

Amelie slowly began to stir from a deeply contented slumber. She attempted to stretch out her body indulgently, only to feel a dead weight pressing her torso against the thick mattress. Bleary eyed and still somnolent she slid down her palm and connected with the source of her weighty problem.

It was the warm flesh of her bed fellow’s thick, muscular arm.

_Chase…_

She reluctantly opened her eyes, half expecting to find herself awoken from some peculiar alternative universe but once her vision had adjusted to the darkness she was able to just make out the tattooed arm snaked across her naked tummy.

 _It wasn’t a dream._ He was really here. _With her._

As if to confirm this he let out a deep groan and smacked his lips as he buried his head deeper into the pillow next to her before stretching out his arm and grabbing the nearest thing it connected with. This just happened to be Amelie’s right breast and she couldn’t stop the whimper which escaped her lips.

However, the noise didn’t appear to rouse Chase, his fingers merely slackening somewhat but remaining moulded to her breast. She heaved a sigh of relief. In all honesty, she needed a few moments just to get her head around what had happened between them.

_She was no longer a virgin…_

There was no other way of describing it, Chase had fucked her good and proper! Her body clenched at the mere memory of his touch and she felt a slight discomfort. Nothing painful, she decided. Just the aftereffects of being so expertly pleasured.

She grinned to herself as she relived the night’s antics. It really had been more than she’d ever dared hope for. Chase had been patient and tender yet passionate and sexy as hell as he’d guided her through her first time. Amelie, for her part was both excited and shocked by the way she had responded. Sure, she was a master of double entendre and had been known to tell some truly dirty jokes over the years but still... that hadn’t prepared her for some of the filth that had come from her own mouth!

 _Not that Chase had seemed to mind..._ She blushed as she remembered the way he’d looked at her as they’d finally reached their release, his eyes as black as midnight and full of desire.

Afterwards they’d both collapsed on the bed, flushed and panting. Weeks of barely contained sexual tension, mingling with the sheer physical exhaustion of early morning starts and physically gruelling days had overwhelmed their fatigued bodies, rendering them both utterly spent and they must have drifted off to sleep shortly afterwards.

But now, as her body finally woke, her thoughts turned once more to her bed companion and she realised she was ready for more. But how to go about it? Should she make the first move? _And would Chase even appreciate being woken up?_   Not for the first time did she lament her inexperience in these matters.

Amelie cautiously turned her head to face Chase. His body was splayed out, face down, his head still buried deep into the plush pillow. She sighed as she realised all the good stuff was inaccessible. She’d been thinking about trying something she’d seen once in a movie. The guy had seemed to really like being woken up with a blow job. Of course, the woman in the movie knew exactly what she was doing but still, it was something Amelie was definitely interested in trying with Chase and she figured with him being asleep she’d at least get a little time to experiment without being under too much scrutiny.

If truth be told his cock excited and frightened her in equal measures. It was much bigger than she’d anticipated. _Not that she really had anything to compare it with of course!_ But it had stretched her good and proper and her pussy had responded instinctively, her walls pulsating in a way she’d never experienced before. The mere thought of it now made her clench her thighs together, her core throbbing once more with need.

“Fuck it!” she muttered as she slowly slid out from under Chase’s still limp arm. He didn’t even stir and she frowned. She figured he was clearly out for the count so with the aching throb showing no signs of dissipating she resigned herself to taking care of herself in the bathroom. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time. She tip toed towards the door but the sound of Chase groaning stopped her in her tracks and she looked back to see him rolling over, pulling the thin cotton sheet with him. Amelie had to stifle a giggle as he smacked his lips once again.

_God he was cute when he did that!_

But then she suddenly realised he was now lay on his back, his legs spread out wide and the white sheet tented over his sizeable manhood.

_This was her chance._

She tiptoed back over towards the bed and paused nervously at the edge. Chase’s feet were poking out from under the sheet, mere inches from her and she figured she could probably climb up under the sheet and between his spread-eagled legs without too much effort. Hesitating for a second she asked herself if she was really going to do this and her answer was another throb from her aching centre.

_Oh hell yeah she was gonna do this!_

Silently she crawled back under the thin covers and stealthily crept up to the impressive bulge which lay between his legs. Chase was still motionless but his cock was already semi erect. Seeing it close up, Amelie started to doubt her ability to go through with this. She genuinely had no idea where to even begin! Fighting back her doubts, she licked her lips and took the plunge, tentatively licking the underside of his long shaft from base to tip. It twitched under her soft, wet tongue and she paused, wondering if that was Chase’s doing or some involuntary response. Either way the room remained silent.

She repeated the motion and received the same response. On the third lick as she reached the tip she pressed her lips around the bulbous head and swirled her tongue around, memorising the taste and feel of him in her mouth. Chase let out a long, low groan and she jumped, his cock slipping out from between her moist lips with a loud pop.

She knelt motionless, still hidden under the sheet, waiting for him to speak. When nothing happened she bent back down and slowly licked the tip once more, intrigued by the salty pool of liquid which had suddenly appeared. Emboldened by Chase’s stillness she enveloped the tip between her full lips and slowly took his entire length into her mouth, bobbing her head up and down as she began to suck with a need she hadn’t even realised she possessed.  

Chase began to moan more and more loudly but Amelie was oblivious. Her fervour was almost animalistic in her desire to both pleasure and learn from him. She felt his cock harden even more as he thrust upwards just as she took him deep into her mouth, causing her to almost choke. Yet somehow she managed to carry on, her own moans now mingling with the wet sounds her mouth was making and the growls now steadily coming from Chase’s.

And then she felt his big hands on her head, only separated by the thin sheet, and she realised he was now most definitely awake. Yet still he said nothing, merely clinging to her through the delicate cotton as her mouth began to speed up.  

She tightened her lips and as she plunged her wanton mouth deep around his pulsating cock he bucked once more and the room was filled with the sound of Chase's grunts before he finally screamed “Fuuuuck…. Amelie…..i’m gonna….”

As he did so he tried to push her away, not knowing if she was prepared to take his seed in her mouth, but she batted his hands away and hungrily sucked even harder, buoyed by his reaction.

“Oh God… cher bébé… I’mma… gonna…. come!” And with that he exploded into her welcoming mouth.

She took it all, greedily swallowing and deciding she liked the way he tasted. Chase let out a long, deep moan of appreciation, a little dazed by the unorthodox awakening.

Meanwhile Amelie, feeling rather proud of herself, ran her wet tongue once more around the tip of his cock. However she was shocked by Chase's reaction.

“Ah… fuck…. Stop… _please_ Amelie” he begged, pushing her head away and she panicked.

“Shit… did I hurt you?” she asked worriedly as she backed out from under the sheet and knelt over him panting. “Damn… I’m so sorry...”

Chase sat upright and pulled her towards him so that she was now straddling him over the top of the sheet. “Sshh… Amelie… baby… I’m just a lil' bit sensitive after I come is all...” he looked her in the eyes but could still see doubt and a little embarrassment as she worried her lip and tried to avoid his gaze.

“Amelie… seriously… that was fuckin’ amazin’!” he smiled reassuringly “no one… I repeat… _no one_ has _ever_ done what you just did to me…” he winked at her “It was fuckin’ hot as hell baby!”

“Really?” Amelie blushed as she continued to worry her lip.

“Really!” Chase grinned as he pulled her closer, sliding his palms down over the round globes of her ass and squeezing them possessively thus eliciting a whimper from her “but... there _is_ actually one thing that you _could_ improve on…” he teased, a cocky grin suddenly spreading across his face.

Amelie blushed even deeper and tensed as she waited to hear his critique.

“Next time I want you to wake me up first... 'cos I’ve dreamt of you wrappin' these luscious lips around my dick…” he paused as he lasciviously ran his tongue over her plump lips, tasting himself on her as she hitched a breath “for the longest time...and I wanna _see_ you do it baby!”

Amelie groaned as he pulled her in for a deep, lustful kiss. One of his hands moved from cupping her ass to slip between her throbbing core, finding her soaking wet.

“Jeez baby… feels like you enjoyed it almost as much as me!” he growled before releasing her and laying back down so his head was resting on the plump pillow. He grabbed her ass again with his outstretched arms and guided her up towards his head, her legs still straddling him.

“Chase… what are you doin'?” Amelie breathed, feeling incredibly exposed as he finally positioned her aching pussy just above his mouth.

“I’m feelin’ a little peckish so I thought it was time I had my own midnight snack…!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...


	32. Chapter Thirty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it continues...

** Chapter Thirty One **

 

Amelie gulped and felt her face burn bright red.

“Chase you don’t have…” her words were wrenched from her as she felt his hot, wet tongue slowly separate her lips and lap once at her slit.

“Ohhh… fuuuuck!” she gasped, slamming her hands out to grip onto the headboard of the bed for support.

Chase pulled his mouth away and looked up at her through hooded eyes. His view was unbelievable. Mere inches from his lips was her sweet tasting, pink pussy, so deliciously inviting as it glistened with her arousal. _And the scent? Fuck, she was even more intoxicating from this angle!_

Reluctantly trailing his eyes upwards he was met with the sight of her tattooed torso, already covered with a sheen of sweat. He indulgently slid his hands up from her ass to trail his thick fingers over her waist and up towards the stiff rosy peaks of her breasts.

She let out a loud groan and bucked her hips. _This man was a master with his hands!_

“Amelie…” he growled, his deep Cajun drawl thick with desire “Baby…look at me…”

She glanced down and almost came there and then. The sight of Chase, his head so close to her most intimate parts made her pulse race and the aching in her pussy even harder to ignore.

He grinned up at her then, that smug grin that she had once found so damned infuriating spread across his handsome face. For a second the image of him all those years ago as he lasciviously photobombed her came to mind, forcing her to giggle at the irony of the placement of his mouth now. _Who would have ever thought she would be a willing participant all these years later!_

“This ain’t no laughin’ matter Amelie… I’m a growin’ boy y’know?” he pinched her hardened nipples and winked as she gasped “and I’m sure as hell hungry… you don’t wanna be makin’ me starve now, do you baby girl?” he quirked his eyebrows questioningly.

“No… no…” she stuttered, her eyes now mesmerised as he leisurely licked his lips.

“Good… that’s real good to hear” he purred as he released her nipples and slid his hands back down towards her soaking centre.

He parted her pink lips with his fingers and with one last request of “watch me baby…” he dove in, his tongue lapping at her juices as he trailed it the full length of her aching cunt and back again.

Amelie cried out at the sensation. _It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before and she never wanted it to stop!_

His hot tongue, lapping over, and over, and over again was taking her to a height of arousal she’d never knew was possible. She watched, transfixed as Chase rolled his thick tongue and began probing her, deeper and deeper as he fucked her mercilessly.

She bucked in response, whimpering as she began to slowly ride his tongue whilst forcing herself closer and closer to his talented mouth as she began to grind against him. His tongue moved and began to work her engorged clit, flicking and sucking it like a man possessed. Meanwhile, the friction from his stubbled jaw on her sensitive slit opened up a whole new dimension and proved to be the final push Amelie needed to send her hurtling towards the precipice.

She released one hand from the headboard and began frantically palming her breasts, moving from one to the other in quick succession. She desperately wanted to use both hands but she felt certain she’d collapse if she did, so overwhelming was the sensation of Chase’s gifted mouth. Her thighs began to quiver and she threw her head back, no longer able to even focus on his eyes as stars began to flash all around her own.

Chase’s hands gripped her ass cheeks tightly to stop her from squirming as her lewd moans grew louder and louder. He began to suck her clit with a fervour that became her ultimate undoing. Amelie came hard, a strangulated sob the only sound left to escape her lungs as she gasped for air. He continued to lap at her core, mopping up all her juices until she thought she might faint. Finally she tensed her thighs around his head in a feeble attempt to make him stop.

She sagged over him, panting and Chase pulled her down on top of him before rolling them both so they were lay facing one another. He stroked her hair, wiping the sweat soaked tendrils away from her hot face and grinned at her with that shit eating grin of his.

As Amelie was finally able to focus properly she didn’t think she had ever seen anyone look more obscenely erotic. His two day old stubble was soaking wet, saturated with her juices, and his lips were red and plump from his ministrations.

She leaned over and kissed him tenderly, tasting her muskiness on his lips. Lust surged from deep within her groin and she deepened the kiss, wanting to show him just how thankful she was and how good he had made her feel. She didn’t know how to put it into words so she let her mouth do the talking, nipping and biting his lip and wrapping her tongue around his in a battle for domination. Chase began to respond, pulling her closer to him and encircling her waist with his strong arms as he pressed his muscular chest against her soft breasts.

Amelie felt his cock, hard once more with arousal pressing insistently against her tummy and raised an eyebrow before reaching down between them to give it a gentle stroke. Chase groaned and responded by licking the shell of her ear, his breath raspy as he whispered “I wanna make love to you… now… turn over…”

She shivered at the gruffness of his voice, her pussy clenching already in anticipation. Reluctantly she released him and turned so she was facing away from him. She heard him fumble about, the tearing of foil and then he was pressed up behind, spooning her.

Chase lifted Amelie’s left thigh and pulled it back over his own, opening her to him and positioned his hard cock at her entrance. He rubbed it along her slit, coating the tip with her arousal.

“Jeez! You’re soakin’ again already” he hissed in surprise and before Amelie could respond Chase slid easily into her sensitive core.

They both groaned with pleasure as Amelie adjusted to his thickness. Chase began to move slowly, taking his time so as to be able to feel every ridge inside her throbbing centre. He nuzzled at her neck, his hot breath making the hairs stand on end and she shuddered. His left hand snaked up to her breasts and began squeezing them in time with his movements.

“That feels a-mazing…” Amelie crooned, turning her head to connect with his mouth and sighing, their lips resting, barely touching one another’s as they breathed each other’s air. The effect was almost overwhelming.

“Damn… baby you feel so good” Chase moaned and Amelie clenched in response “shit… I ain’t gonna last long if you do that” he warned.

“Then fuck me Chase… fuck me… _please_!” she was shocked as the words fell from her mouth and panted as she saw Chase’s eyes darken.

“You sure?” he murmured, lowering his hand and beginning to circle her clit. She clenched again and pleaded “ _Please_ _baby_ … _fuck me_ … fuck me _hard!_ ”

Before she knew what was happening, Chase had pulled her up so that she was on all fours and began pounding his cock into her moist folds, his hand splayed across her back so as to keep her bent over and the angle as deep as possible.

“God… you’re… so… fucking…. huge…” Amelie panted as he hit her sweet spot over and over again “fuck me…. harder baby… _harder!_ ” she begged.

“Fuuuck… you feel so good ‘round my cock… I’m nearly there…oh yeah baby… oh yeah baby… ” Chase clenched his jaw as his movements began to lose their rhythm and he lost himself to the sound of Amelie’s filthy words of encouragement and the sensation of her throbbing pussy as she gasped “Me too…”

The pair cried out in unison as Amelie pulsated around his thick girth, milking him for all her worth. Her arms and thighs shook with the effort of remaining upright and she crumpled in a heap on the bed. Chase followed suit, careful not to crush her as he too collapsed alongside her. They gasped for air as they tried to regulate their breathing, then began to laugh as they stared at one another’s faces. Both were crimson with exertion, coated in a sheen of perspiration, their damp hair stuck limply to their skin.

“This is more exhausting than catching gators!” Amelie giggled and Chase raised his eyebrow and laughed.

“Surely haulin’ a big ‘un into the boat isn’t anywhere near as enjoyable though!” he reasoned.

“I guess not…" she mulled this over "but I did rather enjoyed haulin’ _your_ big ‘un into my mouth earlier!” she quipped and waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Jeez Amelie…” Chase gasped “you’re sure gonna be the death of me with that filthy mouth of yours!”

“Oh darlin’…” she drawled, imitating his thick Southern accent “I’m just gettin’ started… you might just have awoken the beast!”

 

_A note from your sponsor..._

This is how I imagine Chase to look in this chapter *coughs* with less clothes of course! ;) Some nice stubble going on there. Just sayin'.

Bonus:

Just a bit of Cocky Chase.... for reasons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still regret nothing...


	33. Chapter Thirty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Shame... literally.

** Chapter Thirty Two **

The next morning they’d awoken, their hunger for one another not even remotely sated. Now they had succumbed to their carnal desires it was like the dam had been broken and neither one seemed willing, moreover _able_ , to cork their insatiable thirst.

They craved one another’s warmth, their touch, their taste and it was past midday when, having fallen back against the mattress, breathless and exhausted from yet another frantic round of lovemaking, Chase finally gasped “If we’re gonna keep on doin’ this I’m gonna need to eat darlin’..!”

Amelie turned her head, still panting and raised a delicate eyebrow “Really? Again already?” she teased with a stunned giggle

“ _Food_ Amelie… food!” he chuckled, pulling her on top of him and staring up into her bright blue-green eyes as they sparkled with mischief. He stroked her back and she smiled down at him, her cheeks rosy pink and glowing as her eyes stared into his. They were full of adoration and happiness and his heart beat a little faster as he metaphorically pinched himself.

_He really was a luck son of a bitch!_

His hands wandered down to her ass, even more glorious in its naked state than he’d imagined possible and squeezed it possessively, eliciting another gasp from Amelie.

 _Fuck!_ He could already feel himself growing hard again. He wished they could stay like this forever, just revelling in the touch of one another but alas, there was his stomach again, growling as it protested its emptiness.

Amelie giggled again as she felt Chase’s tummy rumbling against her own, which in turn set off her own growling just as loudly.

“It seems you actually agree with me on something!” Chase teased and rolled her over so he was now on top, pressing his heavy weight against her slight frame as he moved his lips to hers, swallowing her response as he claimed her. She moaned as their tongues entwined and wriggled underneath him, seemingly seeking something more. It took all Chase’s remaining willpower to pull away and reluctantly move off her.

“To be continued my dear…” he winked at her and she threw her pillow at him in frustration and cursed him out. She wasn’t the only one frustrated though. Chase was once again sporting a hard on and sighed to himself as he walked over to his bag and pulled on a pair of boxer shorts. His cock looked obscene in them but he needed to remain focused, he was gonna pass out if he didn’t get some food soon!

He heard a sigh and looked back over his shoulder, immediately wishing he hadn’t. Amelie had her back to him, still naked as she bent over searching through her bag for something. The view of that perfectly round, naked ass was once again his undoing as she wiggled it whilst rooting through her things.

“Jeez woman… you are gonna be the death of me!” he growled as he stalked around the bed and gripped her ass, pressing himself against her.

Amelie moaned as she looked over her shoulder up at him with a raised eyebrow “I thought you were desperately hungry?” she quipped sarcastically as she wiggled her hips, rubbing herself teasingly against his hardness through the thin cotton of his underwear.

“Yeah… I am…” he drawled, suddenly breaking free from her. Amelie turned to find that he had moved back over to the night stand and watched with surprise as he pulled off his boxers and rolled a condom along his hard length. She could feel her heart speed up and the wetness pooling between her thighs as she licked her lips in anticipation. _God, she just couldn’t get enough of him!_

Before she knew it Chase was back, standing behind her, his hard sheathed cock again pressing against her ass cheeks as he slipped his hand around and cupped her sex. He slowly walked them both over towards the closed patio doors. Without further warning he dipped his thick fingers into her soaking folds and growled against her ear, before nipping at the soft flesh there. Amelie began to grind herself against his fingers, revelling in his skilled touch and barely conscious of her surroundings as he brought her close to climax in mere moments

“Jeez baby… you’re always so ready… fuck!” he groaned as he withdrew his fingers and positioned himself at her entrance, moistening his engorged head with her juices.

“Is this okay...?” he questioned and was answered by Amelie grinding her ass harder against him as she began to moan.

“Please Chase… please” she begged and he willingly responded, sliding his hard length between her welcoming folds and slowly breeching her entrance. Amelie let out a low mewl at the intrusion and savoured the feel as he unhurriedly slid inside until he was fully seated. As he did so they stumbled forwards and Amelie found herself face to face with the patio doors.

Chase grasped each of her hands and laid them against the cool glass to steady her. Amelie looked over her shoulder, panic showing in her eyes. “Chase… what if someone walks by on the beach? They might see us?” she blushed, her heart racing as she frantically imagined how embarrassed she would be.

“It’s one way glass baby” he reassured as he rubbed himself against her ass cheeks, desperate to start moving “there’s a privacy coating on the outside. It also helps regulate the temperature inside” he explained.

“Oh…okay…” she began but was silenced as Chase snapped his hips and slowly began to move. Amelie’s words were lost as he ground his pelvis against her. She whimpered with delight as he stretched her, massaging her welcoming walls with his thick cock. His movements were deliberately slow, almost leisurely as he slid languidly to the hilt and back out so that he was barely penetrating her, the manoeuvre allowing her to feel his entire length repeatedly in all its glory - every single vein, every single ridge. They were soon panting, beads of sweat forming all over their heated bodies and Amelie began to feel her legs shake desperately with the exertion as her thighs tensed. She instinctively moved forward, pressing her hot breasts against the cool glass in order to steady herself and leant her head against the back of her hand as she gasped for air.

“Oh God… that feels so good!” she somehow managed to cry out, bucking her hips in an attempt to speed things up.

Yet Chase was relentless in his slow pace. He slid his arms along her own, covering them and gripping them over the glass as he pressed his thick chest against her back, anchoring her as he bent his knees slightly and slowly thrust up into her over and over. There was something desperately intimate despite seemingly being on full display as they were pressed against the full length glass door, the heat from their hands evaporating against the cool glass leaving only the ghostly trail of their handprints.

Amelie began to clench with the sensation of Chase’s cock stroking her slick walls, his angle hitting her pleasure centre repeatedly. He responded by moving one hand down to her small waist and pulling her back towards him so that her back was bent over slightly. His other hand moved to cup her breast, and he started to pound her hips, slamming his cock harder into her eager pussy.

The air was now filled with the sounds of their lovemaking. Wanton groans and grunts mixed with the sound of their wet skin slapping together as Chase pumped faster and faster guiding them both towards their release, Amelie meeting each thrust with her own as she bounced back against his cock.

“Oh yeah... oh yeah baby… don’t stop darlin’…” Chase gasped, amazed at the way Amelie’s body seemed to instinctively respond to his. His rhythm began to stutter as he started to come undone and gripped her breast tightly, squeezing her nipple and eliciting a loud gasp and a quiver deep inside Amelie’s pussy, pushing him over the edge. He bucked as he exploded inside her, pressing his hot mouth against her neck as his gruff Cajun voice growled into her ear “come baby… come for me”.

This proved to be her undoing and Amelie clamped around his sensitive cock, her walls pulsing repeatedly as she climaxed, her orgasm rippling through her before she sagged against the glass door.

“Ow… ow…ow…” she gasped in pain after a few moments of them both leaning against the glass for support “Cramp…!!”

Chase immediately pulled out, gripping Amelie’s arm to steady her as he guided her over to sit at the edge of the bed. He quickly removed and disposed of the condom before coming back to kneel at her feet and questioned where the pain was coming from.

“It’s my damn hand!” Amelie ground out, wincing with the pain as she tried to open and close her fingers.

“Here baby, let me look…” Chase took her wounded hand in his and gently rubbed it, stimulating the circulation whilst avoiding the scar as best he could.

Amelie looked down at him, marvelling at how lucky she was before noticing the deep frown which had set across his ruggedly handsome face. She bit her lip, trying to hide the pain so as to reassure him she was okay but he wasn’t buying it for a second.

“It’ll be fine in a minute” she tried to reason, but Chase looked up at her, his chocolate brown eyes full of worry.

“This is my stupid fault” he mumbled angrily as he continued to manipulate her fingers slowly “I pushed you up against that stupid fuckin’ glass damnit…” he sighed “I keep forgettin’ you were injured only a few damn weeks ago…” he shook his head.

 _“Fuck!”_ he cursed to himself.

“Yeah but Chase what we just did was _a-mazing_!” Amelie bent her head to his, her other hand capturing his cheek and rubbing her thumb over his heavily stubbled cheek. He avoided her eyes, closing his and groaning into her touch. He was so pissed at himself. He of all people knew what she’d been through. Why the fuck couldn’t he remember it? _Of course he knew the answer… he was allowing his dick to control him, to think for him._ And this was the fucking result.

He’d got Amelie hurt.

_Again!_

“Chase… please… look at me” Amelie pleaded, her eyes searching his as she waited for them to open.

Reluctantly he did, still trying his best to avoid her stare but Amelie was having none of it.

“Chase Landry look at me right now!” she spoke loudly now, her heckles beginning to rise as she realised if she didn’t sort this soon their day could easily go to shit. “Chase… _please!_ ” she pleaded and he finally looked her way, his face contorted in that pissy expression she knew only too well.

“I hurt you damnit!” he sighed “I didn’t even fuckin’ think about your hand. All I was thinkin’ about was myself… how _I_ needed to feel you again…” he trailed off. He shook his head, his anger slowly seeping away only to be replaced with remorse.

“Listen Chase, I wanted it just as much… if not _more_ than you baby” she tried to soothe him, realising just how pissed off with himself he was “and look, I can wiggle my fingers again now” she demonstrated, clenching her teeth to hide any evidence of the pain which still lingered.

“Yeah but we could’ve just done it on the bed or somethin'” he grumbled “but no… _I_ had to try and be all fuckin’ adventurous, showin' off and shovin' you around and you got hurt… _again_ ” he stuttered out the last word and Amelie’s eyes grew wide as she looked down at him. She slid down off the bed so that she was straddling his thighs and wrapped her small arms as best she could around his wide chest, hugging him tightly. Chase moved his own hands, allowing them to loosely hold onto her waist and sighed. She pressed her cheek up against the sparse hair on his chest and was alarmed at how fast his heart was beating.

“Chase…?” she started and felt the vibration from his chest against her cheek as he whispered “Yeah?”

“You know it wasn’t your fault I got bit by that gator… don’t you?” she asked hesitantly, not really wanting to talk about that day and relive the traumatic events but realising it still seemed to be bothering Chase.

Chase let out a long sigh and shook his head. “I was the captain Amelie… _anythin’_ that goes on in that boat is my fault! You getting’ bit? That’s on me. You gettin’ groped by that fuckin’ prick?” he tightened his grip on her waist “that’s on me too…” he trailed off.

“But Chase… none of those things were things you could plan for!” Amelie tried to reason “You didn’t choose the camera crew! Nor did you know…” she hesitated, feeling the bile rise at the back of her throat as a flashback of the gator’s mouth clamping down on her hand came back to her “…that the gator was still alive…”

“Yeah but I shoulda done!” he spat out gruffly, his voice cracking as he remembered how his petulant attitude in the boat towards Amelie had made him lose focus and put his deckhand, _and himself_ at risk. And it was Amelie who’d nearly paid the ultimate price. Blinded by his guilt, he couldn’t see that he was just as much the saviour as the villain in this piece, having brought Amelie back to life on the way to the hospital.

“Look… what’s done is done” Amelie persisted “have you any clue how _grateful_ I am that I was in that boat with _you?”_ she pulled her head back and stared up into his eyes, shocked to see them glossy with tears.

She pulled her arms out from around his torso, the feeling having now returned to her achy hand and cupped his face, rubbing her thumbs soothingly over his stubbled cheeks once again “You _saved_ my life Chase…and I will _always_ be in your debt for that” she smiled, tears beginning to fall from her own eyes at the weight of her confession.

Chase moved his own hands up to mirror hers and wiped away Amelie’s tears with his thumbs before letting out a long breathe he seemed to have been holding in.

“What did I do to deserve you Amelie?” he whispered, his breath tickling her lips.

“I could ask you the same question” she whispered back.

“I am a pretty good catch” he teased, suddenly lightening the mood as he winked at her and Amelie snorted with laughter. _There was the cocky guy she was beginning to fall in love with..._

Chase pulled her mouth to his, kissing her chastely before lifting her effortlessly off his lap and up onto her feet. Amelie raised an eyebrow, watching as he then pulled his own muscular limbs upwards and walked over to the bedroom door before remembering they were both still naked. He took one more appreciative look at Amelie’s naked form before slipping on his discarded boxer shorts and opened the bedroom door.

“I’m gonna go make us some food before either of us get any more ideas…” he winked “or worse… die of starvation!”  

Amelie watched as he walked through the doorway and over towards the small kitchen area, his firm ass barely concealed under his tight underwear and bit her lip.

Chase Landry might yet be the death of her she smiled to herself as she grabbed some clean clothes and headed for the shower.

 

 

_Okay, so 'cos I haven't got the necessary photographic evidence to back up this chapter, *sighs* I give you a totally gratuitous ass shot. Sorry about the amount of clothing..._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't meant to be another smut-fest but Michael Fassbender has been on my mind A LOT this weekend... THIS nod to some of his work is the result...


	34. Chapter Thirty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really should be studying... so here's another chapter!

** Chapter Thirty Three **

When Amelie stepped out of the bathroom she was greeted by the smell of something delicious cooking on the stove and watched on silently. Chase was stood, still clad only in those damn tight boxer shorts, his muscled back tensing as he chopped something, and surrounded by an array of ingredients.

Amelie’s iPod was on and the distinctive voice of Dave Grohl filled the living area, with Chase humming along, much to her surprise. She never had him down for a Foo Fighters fan but every now and then he would stop chopping and perform an extravagant lick with his ‘air guitar’, forcing her to stifle a giggle. It was as ‘[Walk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkcfQtibmU)’  reached its ear shattering crescendo that he discarded the knife and really let rip, swinging around, his eyes closed and totally immersed in the music as his dextrous fingers deftly ran up and down the imaginary fretboard. His head bobbed and he thrust his hips completely oblivious to his audience of one.

Amelie’s mouth hung open as she stared. _Goddammit! Just when she thought he couldn’t get any fucking sexier he pulls this on her?_

She gripped the back of the sofa, feeling the moisture beginning to pool again at her core and gulped. _Stop it! Stop it!_   She chastised herself, unaware that the music had come to an end and the air was now filled with static as her iPod reached the end of the album.

“I guess you saw that?” Chase’s deep timbre resonated through her musings and she realised he was staring at her, laughing. His face was flushed partly from the exertion, but also, in embarrassment it seemed. This only served to make her even more flustered and she bit her lip, trying to formulate a sentence.

“Mmm hmm” was all she managed, trying to take a deep breath and still coming up with nothing. She suddenly felt incredibly unsure of herself around him and looked away quickly, fiddling with the sofa cover, picking away imaginary lint.

Chase, himself still a little embarrassed at being caught, stopped laughing. He smoothed his hand over his face and walked over to where Amelie was still picking at the sofa. At this close proximity their difference in height was marked and as he took her small hands gently in his and squeezed them, she looked up and he gasped.

She looked so small and timid, her eyes staring warily up at him as the colour rose even more in her cheeks. _God she was beautiful when she blushed._ But why the hell was _she_ embarrassed? _He was the one caught acting like a damn fool!_

“Baby? You okay?” he lowered his head and searched her eyes. When she didn’t answer he pulled her into his chest, still moist from his ‘performance’ and hugged her tightly.

Amelie breathed him in. Even in his sweaty, un-showered state he did things to her. Things she realised she’d have to start getting a handle on if she was to ever truly feel comfortable around him anywhere except the bedroom. Even there she felt like a deer in the headlights at times.

“Amelie? You’re worrying me.” Chase’s voice reverberated through her cheek, forcing her to try to vocalise her feelings.

“You just make me so damn nervous sometimes…” she trailed off, sighing as she tried to pull away. Chase tightened his grip. They were going to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

“ _I_   make _you_ nervous?!” Chase repeated incredulously, a chuckle escaping as he spoke. Did she not realise he was like a freakin’ volcano around her, ready to explode at a moments notice, his need for her only getting stronger and stronger? He pulled back slightly and looked down again at her, only to find her jaw clenched.

“Yes Chase” she snapped and this time managed to pull away, crossing her arms protectively across her chest “ _You…_ make… _me…_ nervous! You’re so damn self-assured… you’re an awesome hunter… you _apparently_ play the guitar like a bloody rock God…” he quirked his eyebrows at that but she wasn’t finished “you cook... you’re hot as fuckin’ sin… and… and…” she stuttered as she tried not to stare at his damn tattoed chest, the muscles tensing and relaxing as he breathed slowly, waiting for her to continue “and all I can think about when I’m ‘round you is the things you do to me… in there” she nodded her head angrily towards the bedroom and Chase raised his eyebrows in shock.  

“I’m… sorry…” he apologised warily, not really understanding why but somehow feeling the need to break the silence which had descended over the room.

Amelie bit her lip, and looked down at her bare feet as she wiggled her toes on the hardwood floor.

 _Damnit! Now Chase was fucking apologising for being Mr Perfect!_  

What the hell was wrong with her? He was more than she’d ever hoped or dreamed of in a, _dare she say it_ , boyfriend? And here she was getting pissed at him because he was _hot_?!

 _What the fuck was that even about?_  

She needed to straighten this out and fast.

“No… Chase, I’m sorry” she whispered, her shoulders slumping as she relaxed her arms and started twiddling her fingers instead. She couldn’t look at him as she spoke again, her voice shaky with emotion “I guess I just still can’t believe _you’d_ want to be here… _with me”_ she mumbled, feeling the tears of a lifetime of inadequacy once again brimming in her eyes.

Chase’s mouth slackened as he finally understood the weight of Amelie’s confession and he immediately stepped forward and took her back into his arms.

“Amelie…” he crooned as he rested his chin against the top of her head “baby… _you_ are amazin’… you’re strong, hardworkin’… funny as fuck and the most courageous person I’ve ever met…” his voice trailed off as he sighed deeply, remembering the way she’d fought back after being so sick.

Amelie sniffled and moved her head up to look at him but he wasn’t done yet.

“And Lord! You are… _without doubt_ … _the_ sexiest woman I have ever seen… _ever_!” he locked eyes with her then and Amelie bit her lip as his eyes darkened with lust “I wish you could see yourself through my eyes…” he growled, his hands trailing down over her thin denim capris and squeezing her ass, eliciting a moan from her “any man would be lucky to have you as their girl… but tough shit ‘cos you’re mine!” he growled.

And with that his mouth was on hers, claiming her once more as he slowly breathed her in. The kiss was slow, tender, but there was no mistaking the underlying desire as they clung to one other.

They were separated only by the sound of the smoke alarm and Chase cursed as he reluctantly released her and ran over towards the stove only to realise he’d left it on, burning the base of the gumbo he was preparing.

“Fuck!” he muttered as he cautiously carried the Dutch oven to the sink and filled it with water to soak. The acrid smell of burning filled the air and Amelie quickly moved to open the windows, fanning away the lingering smell.

She grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, handing one to Chase and downing hers in one go, completely oblivious to the way he was staring at her as she swallowed. As she finished she caught his eye and smiled shyly, still embarrassed by her earlier outburst. Chase gulped but grinned back at her and she realised he still hadn’t had a chance to even have a shower. _Bless him, he’d been fixing them something to eat and she’d gone all bat shit crazy on him!_

“Why don’t you leave this with me? Go take a shower and I’ll wash out the dish ready to start over? In the meantime have this.” She tossed a candy bar at him that she’d brought with her and his eyes lit up.

“You’re a life saver!” he laughed as he tore open the wrapper with his mouth and sunk his teeth into the smooth chocolate coated caramel, groaning in pleasure. Amelie had to look away, he was doing that thing to her again and she was determined to stay focused this time. Chase needed that shower and they both needed to eat something substantial.

He finished the Caramel in two mouthfuls and threw the wrapper in the trash before watching Amelie for a moment as she set about rinsing out the burnt roux and vegetables from the heavy dish. Her earlier words still troubled him. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable around him. Worse still, it physically pained him to hear her say she wasn’t good enough for him.

He turned away and sighed as he made his way to the bathroom. As he stepped under the steaming shower, stretching out his aching muscles, he made a solemn promise to do _whatever_ it took to make her understand just how amazing she was.

_And how it was him who was the lucky one._

 

Just a little reminder of what Amelie is dealing with here...  
  


**_ _ **

**_ _ **

**_And just when you thought it was safe..._ **

**_ _ **

**_I think I need a shower too..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (p.s. click on the link to Walk...) if that doesn't make you smile I don't know what will... also we can't be friends!


	35. Chapter Thirty Four

** Chapter Thirty Four **

 

Amelie stood at the counter chopping a fresh batch of vegetables for the gumbo. She was replaying the earlier events in her mind, feeling incredibly stupid for overreacting, _again_ …

“I was thinkin’…”

Chase’s smooth, deep voice cut through her thoughts, startling her and she jumped, almost cutting her finger. Her hands still shaking, she laid down the knife before she did herself any more damage and pivoted round on the spot.

Her mouth gaped open.

“You okay baby?” Chase frowned at her expression as he strolled over towards her.

“Um…” Amelie coughed, trying not to stare at the sight of Chase covered, _if you could even call it that_ , with a ridiculously small towel slung low around his hips. His tanned skin, whilst clearly towel dried, glistened in the humid air and the facecloth, _sorry towel_ , barely covered his otherwise naked body.

“Erm…yeah…” Amelie barely managed two words before Chase had reached her, grinning down at her as he watched her cheeks grow redder and redder as she tried not to stare at his happy trail. Her hands were trembling again as she fidgeted with the hem of her T shirt whilst her mouth remained wide open.

“Amelie?” Chase’s tone was doubtful as he raised a single finger under her chin and lifted her head up, snapping her mouth closed in the process.

He wasn’t stupid. He’d had women look at him like that before.  _If he was being totally honest it was a huge ego boost._

But whilst he was still in shock that the gorgeous woman stood in front of him was going all googly eyed over him, he realised he had to try to get them back on track. He’d come up with a plan while he’d been in the shower. For the rest of the day they were going to get out of the cottage, leave the gumbo for supper and instead grab some poboys and maybe head down to the beach. After they’d eaten they could sunbathe a while or head into the surf to cool off. It would do them good to get out and have some fun away from the bedroom.

 _Because Chase knew only too well that if he stayed in this cottage much longer, with her looking all adorable like she was right now, he would end up succumbing to her charms again, and again_.

And the last thing he wanted was for her to think he was just after _one_ thing. Even if he would _gladly_ have that one thing right this damn second. Because he really did enjoy her company.

“Baby, I was thinkin’…” he tried again and this time Amelie locked eyes with him, hers now gleaming with mischief.

“Yeah?” she breathed as she trailed a single finger down his muscular chest, mapping out the shape of the dagger tattooed there, before stopping just above his navel and licking her lips.

_Fuck!_

_Think food. Think food!_

Chase grabbed her hand and pulled the damn finger that was already driving him insane up to his lips, kissing it gently.

“I was thinkin’ maybe we should leave the gumbo for later?”

Amelie raised an expectant eyebrow and Chase groaned as he continued valiantly on, trying his best to emphasise just _how_ hungry he really was.

“If I don’t eat real soon baby I _am_ gonna collapse! And you will too. So how’s about I throw on some shorts and we head on out and grab ourselves somethin’ at the Starfish then go down to the beach for a while?” he almost yelled out the last part, so close was he to surrendering as Amelie continued to lick those plump lips of hers.

“Oh… okay then” Amelie pulled her hand from his and turned away.

“Amelie…” Chase began.

“I’m fine Chase… hadn’t you better go get ready then?” she turned back towards him, a strained smile now fixed across her pretty face as he quirked an eyebrow questioningly.

With that she turned back to the prepped vegetables and tossed them into a bowl, covering them and placing them in the fridge, busying herself lest he see the tears that were now prickling her eyes.

Chase let out a deep sigh and walked over to the bedroom, his shoulders hunched as he pulled on a pair of blue patterned board shorts and one of his ball caps. He mentally congratulated himself on his willpower, at the same time chastising himself on both the fact that he had just turned down what would’ve no doubt been another hot session of lovemaking, _and_ his ability to also piss Amelie off in the process, before heading back into the living area.

“Did you wanna quickly change before we go?” he asked, looking at her T shirt and jeans and wondering if she maybe wanted to grab her swimsuit, but she frowned and shook her head.

“Nope? Is there something _wrong_ with what I’m wearing?” Amelie now stared angrily at him, challenging him.

Chase groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the tension which seemed to have suddenly appeared there. He knew _these_ warning signals and there was no way in hell he was gonna answer such a loaded question.

_No siree._

So he simply shook his head.

“Well then…I’m fine as I am…” she answered curtly.

“C’mon then. Let’s get you fed. We wouldn’t want you to _faint_ …” And with that little dig, she slipped on her flip flops and headed to the door and out onto the porch.

Chase let out a deep sigh as he followed her. She was really pissed at him now. He just knew it. Yet earlier she’d complained that all he was doing was grabbing her, _hadn’t she?_

_Jeez, he was confused as fuck right now!_

 


	36. Chapter Thirty Five

** Chapter Thirty Five **

Amelie waited for Chase to lock up, realising she had no idea where they were going to eat. But she refused to look at him. She just couldn’t. The embarrassment of her earlier rejection stung and she felt foolish now. Foolish and a little bit pissed off that Chase seemed to have a problem with what she was wearing.

_Well screw him. She’d never dressed for anyone else before. She wasn’t about to start now!_

Of course she knew he was right about eating. They hadn’t eaten since supper last night and while _yes_ , she _was_ pretty damn hungry, she also had to concede that Chase was no doubt starving. That man never stopped eating back home and they’d been _pretty_ _busy_ since they’d arrived…

A small smile formed as she recalled their escapades.

She felt his hand take hers and she glanced up through her eyelashes, only to find Chase staring down at her, his face a picture of concern.

“Baby… you’re not too mad at me are you? I just… well I _thought_ it’d take some of the pressure you were talkin’ about earlier off of you? Let’s just enjoy each other’s company, can we?”

Amelie’s lip quivered as it suddenly clicked what Chase had been trying to do. If they were to have any chance as a couple, Amelie was going to have to get over her insecurities and _be_ part of a couple. Not just an, _albeit willing_ , onlooker. And not just a couple in the bedroom. His clothes comment was still grating on her if she was totally honest but it was impossible to be mad at him when he was looking at her with those chocolate brown eyes, melting her inside. She’d let it go this time.

She squeezed his hand and nodded her consent, not trusting herself to speak as they ambled down the road to the quaint beach café. The sun was beating down hard now so they decided to eat inside, where fans soon cooled their overheated skin.

After finally silencing their hungry bellies with fried oyster and shrimp poboys washed down with a couple of beers they headed back towards their cottage. The beach there was much quieter and more picturesque.

“Damn I wish I _had_ taken your advice and changed now” Amelie moaned disgruntledly as she tugged at the sleeves of her T shirt, the thick fabric absorbing the heat from the sun and sticking uncomfortably to her back. As for her capris, well she felt like they were constricting around her legs as they soaked up the moisture from her damp skin.

“It’s not too late” Chase tried not to look too smug as he nodded towards their cottage which was only a short distance now from where they stood.

“To be honest I don’t really have anything suitable for the sea…” Amelie sighed “I didn’t pack intending on heading down to the coast with you when I came over from Pecan Island now, did I?”

“Right…” Chase rubbed his hand over the thick stubble on his chin deep in thought before pointing up the road they’d just come from “There’s a surf shop just a block up from here, I’m sure of it. Let’s go get you suited up.”

“I guess we could” Amelie smiled “If we’re gonna be spending time on the beach there’s no way I’ll make it through two more days without having to cool off in the ocean!”

A short time later and they had reached the surf shop. Amelie looked around searching for a simple bathing costume but all they seemed to have were ridiculously tiny bikinis.

“Fuck!” she muttered under her breath as she went through rack after rack. They were all so damn bright and garish. _Or had scary ass leopard print all over them._ Chase picked up a luminous green lizard print monstrosity and they both cracked up laughing.

“There is no way in hell I’m wearing that! You’ll mistake me for a bloody gator and shoot me!” Amelie laughed, all the earlier tension finally slipping away as Chase came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind as he laughed. With their respective height difference, Chase was able to lean his chin gently on top of Amelie’s head and they continued to search through the racks until, finally, Chase came across a simple pale pink bikini with a black trim.

“The colours a bit girly…” Amelie shouted out from behind the curtain of the changing room, wrinkling her nose “but I guess it fits _okay-ish_ ”

“Well you _are_ a girl! Chase laughed “but fits ‘ _okay-ish’_? What’s that even supposed to mean? Either it fits or it don’t surely?”

“I can’t explain it…” Amelie turned around, inspecting herself in the mirror. There was _a lot_ of flesh on display. More than she’d ever shown in public before. The bottoms were very, _very_ low and Amelie worried whether her big ass would be contained within the miniscule scrap of material once she started to move.

“Should I come back there and take a look?” Chase asked, hoping to assuage her doubts whilst getting a sneak peek. Truth was, now his belly had been filled he was feeling hungry for something else again.

“ _No! It’s fine_ … I’ll take it.” Amelie shouted, stopping him, and figuring she could always just keep her capris on “Can you just ask the lady if I can wear it now?”

A few minutes later and they were on their way, Amelie’s underwear now safely bagged up and placed in the beach bag and her T shirt and capris thrown over the top of her newly purchased bikini. _No matter how sweaty she was right now she was not walking down the street half naked!_

Soon they reached the beach and Chase laid their towels out on the sand. He threw himself down on one and laid back on his elbows as he looked up expectantly, patting her towel as he waited for her to join him.

Amelie had taken off her flip flops and was shuffling her feet nervously along the sand, making swirls with her toes.

“You okay baby?” Chase squinted, trying to catch her eye but the sun was blinding him.

“Um… yeah” she breathed as she crouched down and stared out towards the water “I was just admiring the view”

“Yeah… me too” Chase grinned as he looked her over, admiring the way her ass moved under the denim as she stood back up and continued to skim her toes over the hot sand.

“Are you gonna come join me then? Or… do you wanna go get straight in the ocean?” he asked hopefully.

Amelie knew it was now or never. _Shit, this was all so stupid anyway._ Chase had seen her naked _how_ many times in the past twenty four hours? Why was she being so damn nervous all of a sudden? It wasn’t even as if the beach was busy. There was probably no more than a dozen people in total and they were sparsely scattered.

Summoning her courage, she slipped off her T shirt before she had time to chicken out, then started to unbutton her capris, but hesitated and began worrying her lip.  She wasn’t sure how long she stood there, staring off into the distance but she was startled back to reality as she felt Chase’s hands slide across her bare back and over her shoulders, massaging away the tension.

“Come on… let’s go for a swim” he whispered in her ear before cheekily smacking her ass and running off towards the ocean, grinning as he beckoned her towards him.

Amelie couldn’t help but laugh and forgetting her hesitancy, she peeled off her denim capris and ran after him into the surf.

Once in the water her inhibitions mellowed and they frolicked in the sea for a while, swimming first and then just splashing about as the cool water soothed their overheated bodies. Amelie laid her head back, allowing her body to float to the surface of the salty water and closed her eyes. The heat from the sun warmed her skin and she sighed in pleasure.

Chase watched on, happy to see that her nervousness seemed to have finally dissipated. As quietly as he could, he made his way through the surf until he was close to her head and then leant forward, practically purring into her ear “I think it fits _way_ more than _okay-ish_ baby!” as he cast his appreciative gaze over the barely there bikini.

Startled, Amelie floundered in the water but Chase was already grabbing her and drawing her into him so that she was pressed into his solid chest. He pulled her legs up, wrapping them around his waist as he roamed his big hands over her exposed ass cheeks, her bikini bottoms having riden up her ass under the water.

Amelie wrapped her arms around his neck and bit back a gasp of pleasure as she stared into his eyes, deep brown pools of lust now replacing those soft, kind ones of earlier. She leant into him, nipping at his bottom lip and he growled, raking his nails over her ass and squeezing as he tightened his grip. He pressed himself against her core and Amelie let out the gasp that she’d earlier swallowed, feeling how hard he was for her. She began to move her hips, enticing him even further, as she captured his lips in hers and began to kiss him, hard and with a passion she was unable to repress. She slipped her tongue into his hot, inviting mouth and didn’t stop until they were both gasping for air.

“I want you!” she cried out, not even caring that there were people still on the beach who might hear her.

 _Anyone of them could come into the ocean at any point and realise what was happening under the water, but at that moment Amelie couldn’t give a damn_!

In fact, it seemed to add a frisson of excitement and she couldn’t help but grind her hips harder against Chase’s now painfully erect cock.

“Fuck!” he gasped “We can’t baby! I ain’t got nothin’ with me…”

Chase shook his head in frustration, biting back another gasp as Amelie was already slipping her hands under the water to the ties on his shorts.

“Ame..!” Chase started to warn her but the rest of her name was lost under a growl as she sunk one of her hands down into his shorts and, completely ignoring his aching member, cupped his balls instead.

 _“Jesus Christ!”_ he hissed as she slid her small palm over the wrinkled flesh, firm from the cold water, and began to massage him.

His mouth crashed against hers as she continued to knead and squeeze him so intimately. His cock was painfully hard now and just when he thought he couldn’t take any more teasing, she released his balls and slowly slid her hand up his thick shaft, tugging gentle when she reached the head.

She pulled her mouth away from his and watched as he panted, his cock throbbing under her touch.

To see this grown man practically reduced to a quivering wreck was exceptionally arousing for Amelie and she gained confidence from his appreciative moans.

“Y’know… I _really_ wanted you earlier before we left the cottage…” she teased, sliding her hand back up and down his straining length and watching as Chase bit his lip, an intermittent gasp occasionally slipping out of that gorgeous mouth of his.

She pressed her nipples, hardened under the thin bikini fabric, against his heaving chest and leant her mouth to his ear, licking the shell and whispering “But you turned me down…”

Then she pulled her mouth away and looked into his eyes, seeing the inner turmoil as Chase desperately fought against his most primal urges.

“I’m… sorry…” he gasped.

“All I wanted was to feel you inside me again…” she pouted, licking her lips as she continued to stroke him under the water, faster now as she watched him grit his teeth, trying hard not to cry out “for you to fill me… stretch me with your huge… fat… throbbing… cock”

Amelie couldn’t help the moan of frustration that escaped her own mouth and her hand stuttered for a moment. Chase took his opportunity to silence her, shoving his tongue greedily into her mouth and taking her breath away in the process. Just as quickly he moved one of his hands down between their trembling bodies and, tugging her bikini briefs to one side, unceremoniously thrust two fingers between her plump lips and began pumping them into her tight pussy.

She gasped at the intrusion, losing herself in the moment as she began to ride his fingers, grinding herself against him as the surf bobbed up and down around them, sinking them both lower. Her own hand tightened around Chase’s cock as she already felt her sensitive walls beginning to pulsate around his fingers.

“Imagine you’re ridin’ it then baby…” Chase grunted against her mouth, nipping at her lips as they each worked their hands harder and faster “imagine my thick cock is spreadin’ you wide… makin’ you mine… claimin’ your _hot_ , _welcomin’_ pussy… your tight, _tight_ pussy as mine”

Amelie was whimpering now, her hips bucking under the water as she hurtled towards her release. Chase watched her, gritting his teeth to stop himself from crying out, so intense was the feeling as she worked him into a frenzy.

He pressed his forehead into hers and they seemed to communicate almost telepathically as they both hurtled towards their climaxes, Amelie clenching down around Chase’s fingers and Chase’s cock being milked dry by Amelie’s talented hand.

It was lucky that Chase had sensed they were both so close as he swallowed Amelie’s moans in his mouth and at the same time was able to finally release his own ragged breathing.

They clung to one another, gasping for air until they came down from their highs and after a tender, leisurely kiss, they righted their clothes before walking back over to their towels, avoiding eye contact with any of the other beach patrons _just in case_.

They grinned conspiratorially at one another as they finally reached their towels, drying off and applying sunscreen.

After sunbathing for a while, Amelie started getting bored so she reached over and pulled Chase’s ball cap off his head and began teasing him to get it back. As she danced around in the sand, the cap on her head she started pulling funny faces at him. Chase was laughing, half-heartedly trying to grab it back before getting his iPhone out and photographing her.

 

_He wanted to remind her of this carefree version of herself anytime she started to stress out._

Then, when she thought he’d finally given up, Chase lunged at her and grabbed his cap back. He waved it teasingly above her head triumphantly, knowing she would not be able to reach it again. But they both descended into tears of laughter as they continued to goof around, tickling one another and telling jokes with awful punchlines.

Late that afternoon, tired and once again hungry they headed back towards the cottage and on the way both were silently thinking about just how lucky they were to have met one another.

It was one thing to find someone to make love to. It was quite another to find someone to fall in love with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know... I know...
> 
> (If it helps i'm going to confession first thing in the morning!)


End file.
